Football Coaches Have Simple Message – Appreciate Your Sport

Vandercook Lake High School football player Kyle Stiles participates in conditioning drills on Wednesday on the football field at VCL.   Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(June 3, 2020 9:46 PM) An assistant Vandercook Lake High School football coach had a couple of simple messages for his players following the team’s first organized team activities on Wednesday night.

He told the players following a 90-minute conditioning workout to appreciate football because it could be taken away at any minute.

Just ask the senior class of 2020.

Schools were closed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in April following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Michigan High School Athletic Association followed suit a few days later ending all high school sports for the year.

Whitmer ended the Stay Safe, Stay Home order on Monday allowing for teams to begin conditioning.

The MHSAA has updated its guidelines for reopening of school sports based on the lifting of her stay-at-home order and further recommendations. 

Winter and spring sports were halted April 3 to help decrease the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The MHSAA update included: 

• Member schools may begin summer activities at school facilities as long as these two conditions are met: 1) school administration has announced school facilities are open to students and staff, and 2) the academic school year (last day of online instruction/exams) has ended.

• Indoor facilities, including gymnasiums and weight rooms, remain closed. This includes swimming pools, although outdoor pools may be used for athletic activities.

• Competition is not yet allowed because participants must continue to follow social distancing.

• Balls may be used among groups of participants, but participants should clean such common equipment as permitted and continue to maintain proper hygiene (washing hands, not touching their faces) and social distance.

• Guidelines will continue to be updated based on directives from Gov. Whitmer’s office.

“We were excited and encouraged by Gov. Whitmer’s announcements Monday,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in a press release earlier this week. “The opportunity for outside gatherings of up to 100 allowed us to rework a number of guidelines that we had published Friday as part of the MHSAA/NFHS reopening document. Our schools have been cautiously eager to take this long-awaited first step. We will continue to provide updates in accordance with the governor’s directives for reopening the state, always prioritizing safety for all involved in school sports programs.”

VCL head football Coach Steve Wolvin called his team’s workout “social distance conditioning.”

“One thing is obvious, nobody is in shape right now,” Wolvin said. “Everyone is struggling as students miss the routine of getting up early, going to school, playing sports, and participating in workouts (for spring sports).”

Football teams can hold conditioning drills as often as needed and are allowed 15 dates for camps and 7-on-7 competitions.

Wolvin said the Jayhawks have only one 7-on-7 competition scheduled. He expects that to pick up in the coming weeks.

“There are a lot of coaches who didn’t believe we would play football this fall,” Wolvin said. “That has turned around with the announcement on Monday.”

Wolvin said the football coaches association was hosting a Zoom meeting on Wednesday night.

Approximately 25 student-athletes participated in the workout at VCL on Wednesday. Vandercook plans to have conditioning drills three times per week.