Monday, March 8 was the first official spring sports practice for the 2020- 2021 season. COVID took a big effect on fall and winter sports, but it also has an effect on spring sports. There will be little to few meets against schools in the county and the runners are required to wear masks and follow guidelines at practice.

Junior Emilee Rose said, “The first part this was definitely different from previous years, but I’m thrilled to be back to practice. Running and working out with the masks wasn’t the best, but wearing them allows us to be safe while practicing. This season, I am looking forward to setting new PR‘s in the 100m dash, 200m dash and high jump.”

Luckily, COVID has not cut the amount of practices there are per week. The track team is required to attend practice 5 days a week to work on different events and exercises.

Junior Caroline Gist says, “ The track team practices five days a week, Monday through Friday, from 2:30 to around 4:30. Our practices are different every day and depend on which venue participating, we meet at 2:30 to warm up and take attendance with her Our practices are different every day and depend on which event you participate in, we meet at 2:30 to warm up and take attendance with our head coach Mrs.Kelly Lombel, and then we split up to go with our event coaches. I am a long distance runner, so Mrs.Lombel gives us our daily road run route. The distance runners run between 3 to 7 miles per day. We run all over town and finish off the day with an ab work out or some type of cool down. ”

When track season comes around so does the feeling of warm spring time weather as well as new students who were interested in joining the team, including one Pottsville senior, Bella Varano.

Varano said, “I’m looking forward to trying something new and being more social when the warm weather is coming around. I did high jump in middle school and I hope to continue doing that this year and maybe a running event, but not sure which one yet.”