Local high school athletes get back to work

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  • In the top photo, Snyder junior Cameron Smith performed a bench press. Smith was one of 111 boys that showed up for the first day of the Snyder athletic program summer workouts Monday.
    In the top photo, Snyder junior Cameron Smith performed a bench press. Smith was one of 111 boys that showed up for the first day of the Snyder athletic program summer workouts Monday.
  • Freshman Conner Murray finished a rep.
    Freshman Conner Murray finished a rep.
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Scurry County athletes were itching to get back to work and it showed on the first day of summer workouts Monday.
According to Snyder athletic director Wes Wood, 168 athletes — 111 boys and 57 girls — showed up for the 8:15 a.m. workouts.
“I was pleasantly surprised with how many kids showed up,” Wood said. “It blew my mind actually. It was a great day.”
Wood said the athletes came with a lot of energy and were clearly excited to be able to get back onto the field and into the weight rooms.
“The kids really got after it,” he said. “I think the kids were itching to have some type of camaraderie and team. Just get back to culture with each other. It was awesome.”
The workouts broke the pause the local high school athletic programs have faced since April after the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country.
“It was an unprecedented situation. I think all the kids and coaches would agree that it was almost surreal even, that we actually got to get back together,” Wood said. “One thing that was really neat that I hadn’t experienced yet at Snyder was seeing kids from all different sports. It was just a complete and total Tiger athletic program type of situation and it was super cool to see kids who may be straight soccer or straight basketball and they’re working out with everyone. It was super cool.”
While Wood said coaches kept the workouts light on the first day, he said he was impressed with the shape the athletes were in despite the long break.
“We tried to be somewhat easy just because we didn’t want the kids to die on the first day,” he said. “I didn’t see kids just absolutely dying like I kind of expected so I’d say they came back in better shape overall than I expected. Even so, it is hard to say. We had to go slow just to maintain all these specific guidelines we are working with.”
The Hermleigh Cardinals also had a solid turnout. Twenty girls and 16 boys came out on the first day of workouts and according to coach Heath Gibson, the kids were ready to get to work.
“They got after it,” he said. “They had a great attitude and they were all smiles. They got after it from the start and they were ready to go. It’s good for us coaches too. It gives us a shot of energy seeing our kids ready to go.”
Gibson said that being together again had a positive effect on both the coaches and the athletes.
“I think it was good for both us coaches and the kids,” he said. “We were pleased with the numbers we had. I think the kids were excited to be there.”
In Ira, more than 20 athletes showed up for the first day of summer workouts. Ira head football coach Toby Goodwin shared Gibson’s sentiment that it was good be back with his players.
“It’s just good to be able to see the kids again,” he said. “I was impressed with our kids because they showed up in pretty good shape. They took the initiative to put the work in by themselves and stay in shape. They were excited to be back and they were ready to get to work.”
Just a day after allowing Texas High School athletic programs to begin summer workouts, the University Interscholastic League loosened its restrictions for summer workouts. The announcement came Tuesday afternoon and makes several changes to the guidelines the UIL had put in place. Starting June 22, programs will be allowed to have indoor workouts up to 50 percent capacity, as opposed to the original 25 percent.
The UIL also expanded outdoor groups from 15 to 25 and indoor groups from 10 to 15 and abolished the 20-to-1 coach-to-athlete ratio it put in place.