‘They want to play’
Contact days show upcoming season can be played as scheduled with precautions
Contact days show upcoming season can be played with precautions.
That sound you hear in the not-too-distant future is a bouncing basketball.
And when, or if, it arrives on schedule— circle the date of Nov. 16 on your calendar— it likely will be with players and coaches wearing masks during games and without the roar of the crowd inside the gym. Yes, it’s still 2020.
The good news? Masks and all, Southland boys basketball programs are currently taking advantage of the 20 contact days the Illinois High School Association has allowed in September and October.
That includes Christian Meek sand his Home woodFloss moor teammates.
They’re wearing masks while taking part twice aweek in two-hour workouts. No exceptions.
They also must fill out a form showing they don’t have any coronavirus symptoms before being allowed in H-F’s field house, which constantly gets disinfected and sanitized.
Meeks admitted wearing a mask has been an adjustment.
But if wearing a mask is mandatory to play during the 202021 season, well, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound junior forward confirmed players and coaches will adapt.
“It’s different running up and down the court with a mask on,” Meeks said. “It can affect your breathing a little bit, but it’s something you get used to. I definitely think it’s possible to play wearing masks.”
So does Hillcrest coach Don Houston, and it has nothing to do with a desire to add to the program’s collection of conference championship trophies.
“Ifwearing amask is what it takes to help the kids succeed and get an opportunity to play at the next level, then that’s what we need to do,” he said. “The kids will adapt. They want to play.
“They’re playing full games in Indiana with fans in the gym and no one is wearing masks. They’re getting it done.”
I askedH ouston if hewould be comfortable coaching his team in a similar atmosphere as in the Hoosier State.
“At first, Iwas apprehensive,” he said. “But as things have gone on, I’m pretty comfortable. As long as all the precautions are taken and guidelines are followed.
“A lot of these kids’ futures are in jeopardy, and the reason we chose to be educators was to help kids succeed.”
Believe it or not, Meeks played much of the summer without a mask for his AAU team. Of course, all of the games were outside of Illinois.
“We had to get our temperature checked before we walked into any gym,” Meeks said. “Nobody onmy team or the other teams tested positive for COVID at any tournament. Everything was safe.”
I highly doubt that encouraging bit of news will matter much to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The IHSA has limited the fall sports season to boys and girls golf, boys and girls cross country and girls swimming.
In spite of heavy criticism, combined with the success of other states, Pritzker still hasn’t allowed football to be played.
Will basketball, inside a stuffy gym and with players having intense physical contact, suffer the same fate?
Under guidance by the Illinois Department of Public Heath, basketball is considered “medium” risk and is limited to intrateam scrimmages.
If it can move to “low” risk, intraconference games would be allowed to happen.
No one can predict what is going to happen between now and the middle ofN ovember in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.
For now, the contact days provide a glimmer of hope.
H-F coach Marc Condotti believes thew orkouts have benefited the players, both physically and mentally.
“Kids are happy to be here,” he said.
“This has nothing to do with practicing to get ready for the season. It’s about getting the kids off the computer, out of their room and have some physical activity.
“It’s gone smoothly. If it’s determined masks need to be worn to play games, the kids will do it. I believe it can be done safely. They want to play.”
They’re not alone.