The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
NEW NORMAL
High school football teams take to field for first practices of season
Mentor assistant football coach Bob Berwald disinfects the blocking pads during the Cardinals’ first practice of the season on Aug. 1. Practices opened for much of The News-Herald coverage area on Aug. 1 with different circumstances than in any other year. Players went through temperature checks and COVID-19 screening questions. More on the teams’ new normal in Sports beginning
Being a leader extends well beyond calling plays in the huddle and throwing touchdown passes.
Ian Kipp, senior quarterback at Mentor, alluded to that on Aug. 1 as he and the Cardinals’ football team took to the field for the first day of practice at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium.
Kipp, along with countless other players and coaches around Ohio, waited with anticipation on July 31 for word from either Gov. Mike DeWine or the Ohio High School Athletic Association on whether or not fall practices would indeed begin as scheduled on Aug. 1, with the novel coronavirus hanging a cloud over the state.
For weeks and months, Kipp and his teammates followed every protocol from wearing masks to social distancing to hand-sanitizing. When the OHSAA announced mid-afternoon on July 31 that practices would start a day later as planned, hearts of thousands — like that of Kipp — leaped.
But Kipp, the All-Ohio leader that he is, said the battle is not over.
“You gotta want it,” Kipp said. “If you go outside and don’t wear a mask, you can’t say you want a season. It’s just something guys gotta get through their heads. It’s upsetting some people don’t take it so seriously.”
Practices opened for much of the News-Herald coverage area on Aug. 1 with different circumstances than in any other year. Players went through temperature checks and COVID-19 screening questions. Instead of high-fiving or hugging each other upon arrival, they were prompted to keep their distance. Locker rooms were locked up and not used.
It was anything but a same-ol-same-ol opening day of football season.
“We’ve been trying to keep our distance and adhere to the recommendations we have to do,” said Chardon senior Vince Ferrante. “I’d be crushed if my senior year got ruined.”
Ferrante’s coach, Mitch Hewitt, shook his head when discussing how different the day had been compared to others. He said the coronavirus is a “constant adaptation” and described the first day of practice as
a blend of normalcy while complying to the rules in place to lessen the chances of the coronavirus wiping out the season.
“I think about first-year head coaches and the baptism by fire,” Hewitt said. “This is a rapidly changing environment. It’s hard for veteran coaches. I can’t imagine younger coaches getting into this right now.” The News-Herald area has three of them — Mike Gilligan at Madison, Mick Mohner at Harvey and Matt Gray at Mentor. All three hit the practice field on Aug. 1 for their first day as “the man.”
Gray, taking over the Mentor helm after Trivisonno’s 22 years at the lead, said he didn’t sleep much the last few days.
Much of it didn’t have anything to do with the coaching aspect, but rather COVID-19 concerns.
“We’ve been preaching like crazy to control what we can control,” Gray said, his eyes peering out beneath his wide-brimmed hat and above a mask that covered his nose and mouth. “We’re fortunate for this opportunity
(to play). We’re going to show up, compete and do the best we can here.”
After South finished its practice, Coach Matt Duffy commented on the unique nature of the day. Normal activities such as schemes and preparation for opponents took a back burner.
“Honestly, I had a long talk with someone else about this,” he said. “Really, it’s (the goal) just to get to the next day. Normally, you’re thinking game plans and fronts, all the different things you think about as a coach. Now it’s just doing everything in your power to get to the next day and just keep getting better, fundamentally.
Up the road at North, Coach Shawn Dodd that this Day 1 was different.
“Right now, safety first,” Dodd said. “We want to make sure we’re taking all precautions and all measures, making sure the kids are as safe as we can make them in this type of situation. We know what we’re facing and what we’re up against. We’re trying to be cautious.
“The next biggest thing,
football wise, is just getting the kids in shape. We’re going to make sure we don’t blow out any hamstrings, that’s probably our biggest concern when we’re on the field. And then, the X’s and O’s come third.”
Teams went through station work, the ran patterns, practiced footwork and agility drills and so on — but it was different.
“It was all right,” said South RB-LB Ira Sampson of the practice session. “We masked up. You really couldn’t breathe but you’ve just got to bear with it just to go out and play Friday nights.”
That was the overriding thought at Mentor, Chardon, North and South as Day 1 ran its course: Do what’s necessary in order to have a season.
Not just in that 3-to-4 window on the field, but also in that 20-21 hours not at the school, Gray said.
“Be smart, wear your mask,” Gray said, “Keep your distance from everybody and don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position or vulnerable spot.”