LUSD gives green light for limited practices
Lodi Unified School District is allowing its athletic teams to hold non-contact practices starting on Monday.
In a press release sent out late Friday afternoon, Superintendent Cathy Nichols-Washer said that non-contact athletic practices for the district’s sports teams could begin under the San Joaquin County Public Health Services’ interim guidelines, which were released on Thursday.
“Students and coaches are encouraged to complete their clearances so that coaches may proceed with the scheduling of non-contact practices,” Nichols-Washer’s release said. “Students may not participate until their clearances have been received and processed.”
While many teams around the district will work on making sure players are cleared to play, and there is still plenty that has to go right before the next step, at least one local coach is planning to have players on the field on Monday.
“I’ve had practices planned since Placer County, since Wheatland High School started going,” said George Duenas, Lodi High’s football coach. “I have my sessions ready, I’m emailing the freshman parents right now, getting in contact with coaches see if they have slots available. There’s going to be a couple of sessions. I think coach (Greg) Bishop and I will go a little earlier, work with some of the older kids, to make sure there’s separation.”
The county’s guidelines fleshed out the state guidelines to specify what constitutes non-contact and social distancing, with a long list of stipulations: all participants must remain at least 6 feet apart at all times, groups must be limited to no more than 12 participants (including coaches), participants cannot transfer between groups, coaches must cover their nose and mouth, no spectators are permitted, participants must bring their own equipment and water, shared equipment and surfaces must be disinfected, outdoor activities are preferable, participants must be screened for symptoms, hand sanitizer must be available, and participants should limit themselves to one sport.
Duenas said he has his own guidelines that he put together with help from athletic director Robert Winterhalter and guidelines from the National Federation of High Schools, which is more stringent than the county guidelines. Duenas will have his team work in groups of 10 at the most.
“I haven’t been this excited in so long. It’s crazy. I’ve been around sports my whole life, and it’s a good feeling,” Duenas said. “Finally, we’re back. And it’s not even really back, but just being around the kids, having a
sense of normalcy.”
Duenas hadn’t even started making his calls after the announcement Friday when he started getting texts from his players. He sees that as a good sign.
“You know how like last couple of years, everybody’s been talking about kids don’t want to play sports anymore?” Duenas said. “Now that they’ve had it taken away, I think it’s going to go back to the old school way. It’ll be a different type of kid out there.”