Conditioning-based practices began Feb. 1 for student athletes
Updated January 2021
By Taj O'Malley
Staff Editor
David Douglas student athletes began attending restricted, conditioning based sports practices on Feb. 1.
The school board lifted previous restrictions barring such practices from taking place at their Jan. 7 board meeting. The motion for sports practices to return passed unanimously.
The “fall” sports will be most valued when it comes to practice time on campus. This includes volleyball, soccer, cross country, and football. These sports are allowed three, one hour workouts for the first two weeks of February, while other sports will get two, one hour sessions. If these practices in the first two weeks go well then teams can move into specialized practices.
All of these practices are taking place outdoors, with a 50-person participation limit. Covered areas around the district are being used as the spaces for the conditioning based practices. The high school tennis courts and parking lots will provide adequate space in the future for all of the Coronavirus-spread preventing restrictions.
“I think bringing back sports practices is great and important. It will bring back a glimmer of normalcy along, something we all need at this point. There is an increased risk of spreading the virus, but I am confident that the plan we have in place will reduce the risk tremendously.”
-Principal John Bier
Some of these restrictions include six-foot spacing between each athlete and coach, athlete and coach screening before each practice (temperature check, personal health questions), and if, in a worst case scenario, an athlete tests positive for the Coronavirus, contract tracing will be in place.
“I think bringing back sports practices is great and important,” said principal John Bier. “It will bring back a glimmer of normalcy along, something we all need at this point. There is an increased risk of spreading the virus, but I am confident that the plan we have in place will reduce the risk tremendously.”
Athletes who want to participate in these practices must complete the entirety of the athletic registration process. This process includes filling out the sports application, submitting a physical for file, and a “COVID athletic waiver form” and subsequent submission of those forms and materials to athletics secretary Stephanie Matthews in the athletics office.
Information about this can be found on the Scots athletics website, and if needed, students can contact Matthews and athletic director Eric Stauffer for clarification.
