Hampton Roads athletes return to practice
Other divisions postponed as COVID cases rise
The whistles were blowing. Shoes were screeching on the floor. And, coaches’ voices were echoing throughout the gym.
Typically in December, these sounds mean another mundane basketball practice. But not this year. This year, the sounds meant something glorious — high school sports restarting after a ninemonth coronavirus hiatus.
Monday, the first day public school basketball teams could practice, was a day athletes, coaches and parents have looked forward to since the Virginia High School League stopped the state basketball tournament on March 12.
While three school divisions — Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Portsmouth — postponed their winter seasons and another — Williamsburg-James City County — canceled winter sports, the others finally took the court.
“It’s been a crazy year for all of us,” King’s Fork junior Jayden Epps said. “So, us being able to play basketball and doing what we love to do, it feels like it’s getting back to normal.”
And though the sounds in the gym were the same, the practices were different.
“I was very excited, but I’m trying to take precautions. I understand this is unchartered territory for us,” Indian River girls basketball coach Arthur Kelly said, “But I’m happy that (Chesapeake) made the decision to allow us to play.”
“Going from only being able to work out 90 minutes and a lot of precaution to being able to come into the gym and be able to do a real practice is exciting.”
Before King’s Fork started boys basketball practice, head coach Rick Hite and his coaches spent the first 30 minutes taking temperatures and doing surveys with every player who came to practice.
“It’s very strange,” said Hite, who automatically grabs his mask and sanitizer before leaving the house and then his bag of basketballs. “But you have to adapt and
you have to adapt quickly for the health and safety protocols. But it’s kind of becoming the new normal. You just try to be as thorough and safe as you can.”
Indian River boys basketball coach Kirt Overton also is trying to keep his team as safe as possible, but he knows the team doesn’t have a bubble to live in during the season.
“I’m on the optimistic side of it,” Overton said. “But I’m a realist as well. We don’t have a bubble, so you have to take care of what you’re doing outside of Indian River High School. Do the W’s; wash your hands and wear your mask.”
Poquoson athletic director Ken Bennett said tryouts for winter sports are being done in small groups (10 for instance were at the first boys basketball session on Monday) and that those trying out had to sign up ahead of time to make contact tracing easier if necessary.
Each athlete or person was screened before entering the building. Coaches were required to wear masks, as were athletes not participating in a drill. Social distancing was emphasized.
Menchville boys basketball coach Lamont Strothers described a similar scene at his opening practice. Access to the locker rooms was prohibited and the players were allowed to use the only restroom available one at a time.
At the conclusion of practice,
Strothers and company sanitized everything they used prior to the start of the Monarchs’ girls’ practice.
For the players, it was still all about the opportunity to get back on the court.
Menchville point guard Allen Strothers said the Monarchs’ practice marked his first time in the Menchville gymnasium since March.
“It feels good to get back in the home gym and get some work in,” Allen Strothers said.
Indian River junior Leon Rodgers felt the same way.
“We haven’t been in the gym in a real long time,” he said. “It just felt good to get back with my teammates and get our camaraderie back.”