The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Thomas sharing workouts for kids
The WNBA season remains on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas is staying active.
And she’s inspiring kids to do the same.
Thomas partnered with Fairfield-based Save the Children’s #SAVEWITHSPORTS initiative, in which pro athletes share their workouts from home.
The online campaign features kid-friendly drills, fitness tips and more from various athletes, including world champion boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson and Greenwich native and Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young.
Thomas, a 2017 All-Star and a three-time All-Defensive Team selection, took to Instagram Monday to share her workout. In a near three-minute video, Thomas can be seen jumping rope, dribbling a basketball and demonstrating an agility drill.
“Staying safe at home doesn’t mean you can’t move your body or train your mind,” the 30-yearold Thomas said. “Mental exercise is a big part of sports and daily life. So I’m making sure to keep my mind and body sharp while at home, too. It’s way more fun to work out with friends, so let’s do this together.”
In addition to providing children with online workouts, the campaign is also raising money to support the Save the Children’s Coronavirus Response Fund.
“Save the Children is very grateful to the athletes who have contributed their time and talent during this crisis to help get children up and moving and most importantly, having fun,” said Janti Soeripto, president and CEO of Save the Children, in a release.
The coronavirus continues to keep most sports on the shelf, including the WNBA. The Sun were supposed to tip off their season this past Saturday against the New York Liberty, but that obviously didn’t happen.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the Associated Press recently that she’s optimistic about having
a season in 2020, but what that could look like remains unclear. Engelbert said the league is focusing on about a half dozen scenarios to get games underway, including playing at one site, or possibly a few sites, rather than in home arenas.
“We haven’t taken off the table having a full season while other scenarios have a reduced amount of games,” Engelbert told the AP. “A lot depends on the trajectory and restrictions in markets.”
In the meantime, players from the league’s 12 different franchises remain scattered across the globe, staying ready in case play begins.