Sports Are Back
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Dylan Roof (11th) sprints to be the first one on the field for conditioning.
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Coach Haayer demonstrates a running drill for one of the pods.
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The girls basketball team doing ladders to work on their speed, while maintaining a social distance.
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The football team stretches before conditioning while following the Covid-19 regulations set by the Hart District.
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Junior Dylan Roof getting extra work in during the offseason.
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Canyon’s football team heading off the field after completing their conditioning for the week.
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Juniors Zakk Spencer and Zander Branch, hanging out with each other after conditioning with their volleyball team.
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COVID-19 has shut down restaurants, schools, sports, and way more for the past few months. With sports starting back, it is safe to say that many people, especially athletes and coaches, are happy to get back to a somewhat normal routine.
During quarantine, most sports teams have been doing workouts at home on Zoom to stay in shape; however, on Sept. 8, 2020, the Hart District sent an email to parents and students discussing sports being able to condition in person. That email contained a long list of return to play protocols for everyone’s safety. The email states a list of rules such as “no equipment or balls may be used, cloth face coverings must be worn when athletes are not engaged in activity, workouts are to be in pods no larger than 10 people, all workouts will be conducted outside, etc.”
While the rules may not be ideal, varsity football player Dylan Roof says, “it’s an option which makes us able to practice so I’m all for it. While it has its downsides, we just have to focus on the positive and getting better every day no matter the circumstances.”
Fall sports, including football and volleyball, began on Sept. 21, while winter and spring sports, such as basketball and track, began Sept. 28. Across campus, whether it is running on the track, or doing agility drills on the blacktop, athletes were seen getting back in shape for what they hope will be their 2020-2021 season.
Despite the fact that the future cannot be told, co-athletic director and the girl’s basketball coach, Jessica Haayer, believes sports will have a 2020-21 season. “After 6 months of distance workouts, all fall sports began conditioning in person for the first time [last week]. Spring sports [followed this week]… As the weeks progress, we will be able to begin utilizing equipment and hopefully transition to indoor training if things continue to get better in LA County” Haayer said.
Although distance workouts have helped keep athletes in shape, sports slowly being able to return to conditioning in person has definitely helped athletes and coaches feel some normalcy during these not-so-normal times. This may be a small step, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
