EAGLEVILLE, Tenn. -
Eagleville High School football players are beginning the march towards another successful season.
"Had a good season last year, won our first district championship," said head Coach Steve Carson.
At afternoon practice, the focus is on perfecting plays, punts and performing under the pressure of the Friday night lights.
"Through the day we have distractions at school and stuff," explained senior Andrew Roth Jernigan, "Most of us try to stay focused thinking about the game."
Coach Carson is trying to keep those distractions to a minimum, including the use of social media sites including Twitter and Facebook.
"Oh yeah," said Carson, "We've had a lot of dumb tweets, but I haven't had anything where I've had to say, ‘Look, stop.'"
"Some of it's just pointless," Jernigan told Nashville's News 2 about what he sees on Twitter.
Jernigan said Twitter accounts have become more popular among students this year.
"We've got quite a few people on our team who actually have one," said Jernigan, including himself.
However, Coach Carson said he is taking it upon himself to send out a simple warning: "Don't tweet or post anything that you wouldn't want your parents to see, your pastor to see or anything like that," he said, adding, "Just be smart. Once it's out there, it's out there."
Carson told Nashville's News 2 the unofficial Twitter policy was not prompted because of a specific incident, but serves as a precaution to make sure players don't say something they will regret or get them in trouble.
"Our kids, they take a lot of pride in being a football player, they understand what it's all about," said Carson.
Jernigan said players understand why Carson warned them and thinks everyone with a Twitter account will be responsible throughout the football season.
Eagleville takes on McEwen Friday on their home field at 7 p.m.
