MEMPHIS — You can’t blame Gene Robinson if he’s a little excited for the start of the high school football season, now less than four weeks away.
You see, Robinson is still waiting to coach his first game at Germantown.
He was hired to coach the Red Devils just days before Christmas…in 2019 but then the pandemic hit and Germantown, like the rest of Shelby County schools, saw its season canceled.
So the former Fairley coach has been waiting for almost two years for this opportunity at one of the most storied programs in memphis.
“We’re finding out ourselves. Just being without pads on for a whole year and a half, two years has been extremely tough,” said Germantown coach Gene Robinson. “We’re just trying to get back in the rhythm of things. Continue to be who we are and that’s a tough, physical, Germantown football team. We’re glad for an opportunity. When something is taken from you and now it’s given back, we’re grateful. We’re excited and we’re thrilled. We’re just ready to compete.”
Also excited to be back on the field, another of this city’s top programs, the Whitehaven Tigers.
Whitehaven, like Germantown, had to sit on the sidelines last year but now, Rodney Saulsberry and the Tigers are back.
The pads are on and the preparation continues for opening night with these players, pretty appreciative for another chance to play the game.
“What we talk about all the time is being grateful. You have to be grateful for the opportunities that are presented to you and knowing that it can be taken away from you. Sometimes it takes that to really be grateful and understanding the importance of being able to play the game,” said Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry. “We’re excited. It’s football time. Just excited to have football going on back in Memphis.”