More than half of the New Hope High School football team received a day of detention after they skipped a football practice.

Of the approximately 60 players on the team, 35 football players ranging from freshmen to seniors skipped a mandatory football practice as a show of support for their fired coach, Shawn Gregory. All 35 players received a day of in-school detention, also known as ISD.

On Jan. 15, New Hope Principal Matt Smith told the players Gregory’s contract would not be renewed. Gregory, who teaches at New Hope Elementary, was in his first year as the school’s head football coach. When the players asked why Gregory would not be allowed to return for another year, the players said the school officials would not answer.

“They just told us we would understand when we were older,” said Tyler Staples, a 17-year-old junior cornerback.

Without a reason for the coach’s firing, Staples said the players decided not to go to the Jan. 16 practice as a show of support for Gregory.

“We didn’t go to practice because we felt it was wrong,” he said.

Staples and 34 of his teammates skipped their seventh-period class, a physical education class that is strictly for football players. The class begins at 1:20 and is typically held in the field house where the players can work out and lift weights.

Javonte Ellis, a 16-year-old junior who plays outside linebacker for the Trojans, said by missing practice as a group, the boys thought school officials would take notice and bring back Gregory.

“We felt we were doing something right together,” he said. “If we didn’t go (to practice) they would have to respect what we’re doing because we wanted our coach back. I thought they would bring us together and talk about maybe getting Coach Gregory back.”

Ellis said he and his teammates felt helpless when Gregory’s contract wasn’t renewed. The decision to miss practice was the only way they felt they had to make their feeling known.

“My teammates and I tried to do what’s right,” Ellis said. “I don’t like the situation and how it all went down. I don’t believe in (Gregory) being fired after the first year. My teammates and I handled it the way we felt we should handle it.”

Ellis, an honor roll student, said he was surprised he and his fellow players received ISD because he has seen his classmates skip before and not get in trouble.

“There have been plenty of times where kids have skipped football and never got in trouble,” Ellis said. “All of sudden we skip one day and get in trouble. But I’ve never really skipped before so I don’t know.”

Ellis’ mother, Sherry Harris, said she knew her son was planning to skip practice.

“He told me he wasn’t going to go to football practice and I told him that was fine,” Harris said.

At the time, Harris said she was under the impression the class was optional. Now that she knows the class was mandatory, she still supports her son’s decision.

“This is the first time he’s ever gotten in trouble,” Harris said. “He’s an honor roll student. I’m supporting him.”

Harris said she is supporting her son’s decision because she saw how he and his fellow players responded to Coach Gregory.

“I really liked him,” she said. “He brought the team together. The boys really looked up to him.”

Staples, who is also an honor roll student, admits that with a 4-7 record, the team had a less than stellar season. However, he thought the team would improve by next season.

“They brought in Coach Gregory and we had an OK season but we knew we were going to have a chance to redeem ourselves. We have an outstanding 2015 class of athletes that could potentially be playing Division 1 football at the next level.”

When reached Friday afternoon, Gregory declined to comment on the situation.

Lowndes County Schools Superintendent Lynn Wright said while school officials do not condone the players skipping class, he understands the players were acting in support of their coach.

“We cannot encourage the kids to skip school for any reason, but we do respect their feelings for their coach,” said Wright.

Gregory’s firing as head coach will not be official until approved by the school board. When asked if the boys’ feelings would be taken into consideration and potentially save Gregory’s job, Wright declined to comment, citing it as a personnel issue.

The players finished serving their detention Friday. Because of the large number, the students were punished in small groups. Despite receiving ISD, Staples said he doesn’t regret his decision to miss practice.

“I would do it again because that was my coach and I felt like we had a chance of going to the championship,” he said. “With them bringing in another coach, that will be really hard for us to do. We will have changed coaches three times throughout our high school career. Now we’ll be learning new offense and getting to know a new coach.”

While he still supports his former coach, Ellis said he understands the school’s reasoning for the discipline.

“I’m not a bad kid at all,” he said. “I respect what they’re doing but I’m just trying to support Coach Gregory.”

Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.