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In the return to practice or play during these uncertain times, someone has to be first.
Los Alamitos Unified might be that school district in Orange County.
Los Alamitos High is moving toward hosting on-campus athletic camps starting June 15 under modifications and the guidelines recently set by the National Federation of State High School Associations, Griffins athletic director Richard Smith confirmed Thursday.
Smith said the return isn’t certain but the high school is working with the district, which has a school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
“I’m optimistic,” Smith said of possibly hosting the athletic camps on campus.
Orange County schools have been physically closed since mid-March because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Irvine Unified has discussed hosting athletic camps starting June 22, but Los Alamitos could reopen a week earlier.
Los Alamitos football coach Ray Fenton and Griffins softball coach Rob Weil said Thursday that they are planing to host camps for their athletes
The football camp plans to focus on fundamentals, footwork and strength and conditioning while the softball camp aims to host incoming freshmen or new players to the program, the coaches said.
Weil welcomed the news Thursday, calling it a move “back to some sort of normalcy.”
The National Federation guidelines cover screening athletes and coaches before athletic activities, limiting the number of participants and practicing social distancing.
“We need to make sure we take care of our kids and strictly follow restrictions,” Fenton said.
CIF Southern Section commissioner Rob Wigod viewed the Los Alamitos development as a positive.
“It’s another step toward restoring what we hope to restore,” he said. “The most important thing is the health and safe of student-athletes and all the folks involved. … I think we’re going to see maybe more of this going forward.”
