Anthony High School athletes adjust to safety protocols as in-person practices resume

ANTHONY, Texas (KVIA) — After just more than a month of virtual practices, Anthony Independent School District fall sports teams are practicing in person again. Those teams include football, volleyball and cross country. Those practices, however, do not look like they used to.

Players must wear masks while in practice and are encouraged to distance themselves from their teammates. The district placed markers in the gymnasium to remind students to stay six feet apart. Volleyballs and footballs are rotated out for cleaning after each drill and the gymnasium is sanitized each day.

Anthony ISD’s Athletic Director David Rueda said plans are in place in the event a student tests positive for Covid-19. Those in close contact with an infected individual would be quarantined for 14 days. Rueda hopes the district’s smaller size can be an advantage.

“We don’t have the issues that the big schools do,” he said “I know they've got so many athletes out there. For us, I’m using the word blessing because in this case we're fortunate that we're so small, that we don't have that many athletes, so its a little more restricted or contained.”

One Anthony High School junior who plays volleyball said adapting to the new protocols can be challenging, but she is thankful to be back with the team.

“I feel like with the energy in the gym, with not allowing fans, it'll be something different we have to adjust to and just learning how to cope with it and see how we can improve,” Kimberly Gomez said. “I’m looking forward mostly to just the travel with the team and making this a season to remember because it will be something different but something we'll remember as well.”