Scooba leaders optimistic about potential spring football season

SCOOBA, Miss. (WCBI)- Monday, the National Junior College Athletic Association announced plans to push the majority of Fall sports to the Spring.

Here in Mississippi, Junior Colleges are usually located in rural communities, like Scooba or Fulton.

No sports means no outside traffic.

For smaller communities, tourism dollars are a big deal.

Even though the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges hasn’t officially voted on whether or not to move the Football season to the Spring, those we spoke with said it’s a decision they’d be open to.

If you’re driving through Scooba, you have to pass one of the two gas stations located at the intersection of Highways 16 and 45.

Inside one of these stations is a local food joint called The Junction.

Monica Broaden is the supervisor.

“We have tons of people coming in, we get tons of orders, and we have a lot of people that come through, a lot of fans,” said Broaden.

Those fans are usually on their way to a sporting event, but this year might be different.

“It will hurt in a way, but I don’t think it will hurt as much, because we will get that back in the spring when it starts,” said Broaden.

Scooba Mayor Craig Nave carries that same optimism when it comes to moving the fall football season.

“I don’t think that the businesses are going to be impacted by it hard. You know, the football games and the people coming into town, they’re just an extra incentive that’s coming in,” said Nave.

“I don’t think it will hurt the revenue of the local businesses at all. I think we will thrive during the season and we will thrive even more during the spring,” said Broaden.

Both Broaden and Nave are on the same page when it comes to the Coronavirus.

“I think they made the right decision to postpone the season, if that’s what they decide to do. This virus is still spreading like a wildfire,” said Nave.

“For the safety of the public, the citizens, I think it’s a great idea to move it to the spring,” said Broaden.

As of right now, there is no word on when the MACC will vote on the national ruling.