Coaches facilitate at-home workouts

With the coronavirus situation effecting average everyday life, the future of sports is undetermined, however some of the coaches at Thompson Falls are presenting their athletes with ways to stay in shape at home and on their own. “The point of sports is to spend time with each other, however if they are determined kids can take advantage of this time to improve,” said Thompson Falls boys basketball coach, and physical education teacher, Jake Mickelson.

Some of the track and softball coaches are sending home warmups and workouts for their athletes to do during their off time to stay in shape if the season turns around. The students are not required to do these, and they are not considered regular practices, nor are they done with other athletes, however, they are the best thing that coaches during this time can come up with. There is also usually no way for the coaches to “confirm” if their athletes are engaging in their workouts. According to Mickelson, “It’s really on the kids.” As Mickelson said, “A big part of motivation comes from the coaches,” and he explained that it is hard to receive that without the presence of a coach or an official practice.

According to the Montana High School Association, who met last Thursday, state-wide, sports are in a precarious situation for the spring season. All sporting events are delayed until a time yet to be determined and a deadline has been given. If, by May 4, the situation does not turn around, then the spring season sports will be cancelled completely. However, they are working on a remediation of the tournaments to fall back on if sports are allowed to commence.

Of all those effected in Sanders County the worst may arguably be the youth, as some teachers have expressed. College plans are messed up, graduations are postponed, youth cannot go out and spend time with their friends and students can’t get the quality teaching that they deserve. According to Mickelson, the workouts are there to provide “some normalcy” for the athletes during this scary time.