BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend USD 428 athletes will join area schools with targeted training starting Monday.
High school sports has been shut down since March 13 when Kansas State High School Activities Association directors canceled the 2020 state basketball tournaments because of fear about the coronavirus. No spring sports were conducted and schools held online spring classes.
David Meter, Great Bend director of athletics, conducted meetings with coaches and Great Bend’s school nurse and trainer. Meter was worked through Zoom meetings with the Western Athletic Conference and KSHSAA directors.
“I see the light at the end of the tunnel, a long, dark tunnel for a long time,” said Meter, District 1 athletic director of the year. “It’s time for us to get back after it. Everybody is ready.”
Precautions will be made as directed by the Great Bend USD 428 board of education, Barton County health department, and KSHSAA policies. Generally speaking, the virus passes directly from person-to-person in close proximity.
“We’ll follow the guidelines. We’re going to be careful how we do things,” Meter said. “We’ll out Monday where we’re at. We’ll start off real slow. We want everyone to be safe.”
Temperatures and recent travel history will be checked when athletes check in. Fifteen athletes will work out in a group. Workouts will start with low-profile stretching and warmups.
“We don’t know what’s been going on with our athletes,” Meter said. “The mental part is just as important.”
There’s a wide range of sentiment that the worst impact is over to fear about the future.
“There are many emotions tied into it,” Meter said. “Some people are ready for it to be over. Others want masks. You want to honor all those feelings. It will take some time.”
Meter is hopeful that progress is made with minimal impact in regards with the coronavirus. Some locations in Johnson County are delayed until July 1.
Much of the impact started with professional and collegiate sports.
“We’ll figure it out. It depends what this virus does,” Meter said. “It’s hard to tell because things change each week. I’m an optimistic person.”
GBHS SUMMER ACTIVITY PLAN
The plan and adjustments adheres to Governor Laura Kelly’s phased plan to reopen Kansas as well as Great Bend USD 428 board of education, Barton County health department, and KSHSAA policies
JUNE 1-7
*KSHSAA limit 3 hours per day, W1; 5 hours per day W2
*Restructure summer activities to the following guidelines
*Limit groups to 15 assigned participants with no cross over
*Attendance will be taken and kept on file
*Schedule at PAC—6:45 a.m.—9-12 girls; 7:30 a.m.—10-12 boys; 8:30 a.m.—9th boys
*Voluntary attendance
*Coaches will start steady training making sure everyone is safe
JUNE 8-AUG. 16
*KSHSAA competition may begin after 10 days
*Return to regular summer schedule
*Middle school starts at GBMS
*Team camps, activities for fall sports between June 15—Aug. 16
*Team camps, activities for winter/spring activities between June 15—Aug. 2
GENERAL GUIDELINES
*Health protocol for USD 428 schools for summer school
*Students will enter and exit from the south doors to the PAC
*Students/staff will have their temperatures taken prior to any activity; anyone with a temperature of 100.4, or known illness will be excluded pending clearance from a medical professional
*Pre-admittance questions will be posted and asked to athletes as they enter the building
*Spray sanitizing solution/towels will be present to clean all equipment used
*At the conclusion of each workout session, equipment will be cleaned and sanitized under coaching staff supervision
*Communicate with custodial staff each day after inside facilities have been used to guide disinfecting procedures
*Athletes/staff will apply hand sanitizer prior to the workout as well as prior to leaving the facility
*Access limited to parts of the building that are necessary including the locker room
*Coaches will have sanitation guidelines in place and will have open gyms, practices, camps, and competitions approved and on a master schedule
