The coronavirus has forced schools all over the globe to close for an extended period of time. This means no school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Sports are what kids look forward to every day while at school. I just have to get through this school day and then I can go play the sport I love. Unfortunately, this pandemic has delayed the spring sports season so far. 

As of today, April 6th, school is scheduled to open back up April 27th. That means sports would be allowed to resume on the date school starts back up. This best-case scenario would still mean teams will have to reschedule, push back and even cancel games or shorten the season to fit it in. 

While all of this mess is going on, you may think about what the coaches are doing during this pandemic and how they are still trying to stay in touch with their athletes and keep them prepared for a spring sports season.

Head LNHS Baseball Coach Ryan Stegall told his athletes, “To stay away from others. If we don’t do that, then there will be no chance at a season.” If we want to flatten the curve social distancing is key. He says a lot of the athletes are, “Playing catch with a sibling or parent, hitting off a tee and etc.” It is important to try to keep the athletes in shape to be ready at any time. 

Coach Stegall isn’t just keeping his players prepared, he and other coaches from the metro area are virtually meeting to discuss and try to plan a schedule for a shortened season. The plan is to try to start playing again by the end of April or the beginning of May which is in line with the best-case scenario talked about above. 

Head LNHS Women’s Soccer Coach Steven Person is, “Trying to not think of this as a break, but rather a different way of doing business.” He has his athletes doing the workouts provided by Athletic Strength Training and some skill work with the ball while at home. 

Coach Person said the main thing he wants his athletes to focus on over the break is, “Their school work, their mental health and maintaining their relationship to each other and to me.”

Hopefully, we will flatten the curve of this pandemic and allow the spring sports season to continue for the athletes to compete for possibly one last time.