Stage 2 could begin as early as June 26 if the Phase 4 requirements of Restore Illinois are met throughout the state. 

Teams, which in Phase 1 were limited to non-sport specific workouts in groups of 10, can expand groups to 50 for both practice and contests as the fall season approaches. Health screenings, including checking athletes for fevers, chills, cough, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell prior to each practice. Those with symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test should not participate, and return only after clearance from a physician.

“Prioritizing the health and safety of all students and staff must remain the focus of each IHSA member school,” the release said.

If schools choose to permit spectators, there should be a designated area for spectators with existing seating capped at 20-percent of capacity.

PRE-WORKOUT

• Schools must maintain a daily record of what athletes are participating, when, symptoms they may present.
• Athletes should be screened at the start of practice for temperature >100.4F/37C or symptoms of COVID-19 (fevers, chills, cough, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell).
• Any person with symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test, should not participate in practice, competition, or conditioning and should be referred to a physician for evaluation and only return after clearance to do so from a physician.
• Signage about symptoms and transmission of COVID-19 should be posted around facilities.
• Gatherings of up to 50 individuals, indoors or outdoors, are allowed. Thirty feet of space must be maintained between gatherings of 50.
• When students are not actively participating in a drill, practice, or contest, care should be taken to maintain social distance between individuals.
• If locker rooms are a necessity, capacity should be limited to ensure members can maintain 6 ft of social distance.
• Individuals should sanitize or wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with warm water and soap before touching any surfaces or participating in workouts.
• Appropriate clothing/shoes should be worn at all times in the weight room to minimize sweat from transmitting onto equipment/surfaces.
• Students must be encouraged to shower and wash their workout clothing immediately upon returning to home.

FACILITIES CLEANING

• Adequate cleaning schedules, before and after each use by a group of athletes, should be created and implemented for all athletic facilities to mitigate any communicable diseases.
• Prior to an individual or groups of individuals entering a facility, hard surfaces within that facility should be wiped down and sanitized (chairs, furniture in meeting rooms, locker rooms, weight room equipment, bathrooms, athletic training room tables, etc.).
• Hand sanitizer should be plentiful and available to individuals as they transfer from place to place.
• Weight equipment should be wiped down thoroughly before and after an individual’s use of equipment.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT

• On June 26, or when your region reaches Phase 4, summer contact days will begin. Coaches are encouraged to use a staged approach to build back up to full summer contact activity and competitions. Local districts should work with their health departments and local school officials to make decisions about team travel to summer competitions.
• Athletes who did not participate in Stage 1, are encouraged to follow the fall acclimatization schedule for any sport.
• Football players should maintain their summer acclimatization schedule, per IHSA By-Law 3.157.
• There should be no shared athletic towels, clothing, or shoes between students.
• Hand sanitizer or hand washing stations should be plentiful at summer contact events.
• Athletic equipment such as bats, batting helmets and catchers gear should be cleaned between each use. Other equipment, such as hockey helmets/pads, wrestling ear guards, football helmets/other pads, lacrosse helmets/pads/gloves/eyewear should be worn by only one individual and not shared.
• Shared equipment such as athletic balls, thud pads, sleds should be cleaned frequently during practice and competitions.

• In Stage 2 spotters for weightlifting are allowed. Maximum lifts should be done only with power cages for squats and bench presses. Spotters should stand at each end of the bar.

HYDRATION

• All students shall bring their own water bottle. Water bottles must not be shared.
• Hydration stations (water cows, water trough, water fountains, etc.) may be utilized to fill individual water bottles but must be cleaned after every practice/contest.

CONTESTS

• Group sizes should be limited to 50 total participants, coaches, and referees (i.e. excludes spectators).
• Any additional team members can sit on the sidelines 6 feet apart from one another.
• During the use of summer contact days, multiple groups of 50 or fewer participants are permitted in a facility at once as long as: facilities allow for social distancing of students, coaches, and spectators o 30-ft of distancing is maintained between groups/ opposing teams on the sidelines, and o areas for each group are clearly marked to discourage interaction between groups outside competitive game play.
• Schools must have information posted at entrances and around facilities explaining the transmission as well as symptoms of COVID-19, encouraging all visitors to maintain social distance, and reminding people to stay home if they feel sick or have any of the symptoms of COVID-19: temperature >100.4 F/37 C, fevers, chills, cough, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell.

• If schools choose to permit spectators, there should be a designated area for spectators with existing seating capped at 20 percent of capacity.
• Visual markers shall be displayed at queue points (Check-ins, along sidelines, concessions, bleachers, etc.) to help people maintain social distance.
• Concession stands may open in line with restaurant businesses physical workspace guidelines.
• Encourage spectators to bring their own chairs from home for outdoor activities.
• No handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, hugs, etc. can occur pre- or post-match.
• No spitting or blowing of the nose without the use of a tissue is allowed.

PPE

• Coaches/ participants/ volunteers may choose to wear a mask.
• Officials may choose to wear a mask and use an electronic whistle (no blow horns)

“It is the responsibility of each IHSA member school to comply with [these] requirements. If available, it is encouraged that an athletic trainer or medical personnel be available for workouts,” the release states. “They should be masked for any interactions with athletes and maintain appropriate social distance when feasible.”

The post Stage 2 of Return to Play awaiting IDPH approval first appeared on SJO Daily.

fred@mahometnews.com

Area high schools are in the process of preparing their athletes to return to competition.

The IHSA permitted limited participation last week, allowing districts to conduct conditioning, agility and strength training exercises in small groups.

Oakwood chose to wait until this week in order to get its plan in place.

“We are taking a cautious approach for right now,” Oakwood football coach Al Craig said. “We are making sure all the ducks are in a row before we start.

“We have been meeting with the athletes once a week on Zoom and going over things we would have normally gone over. It has gone well.”

Craig fears the repercussions of doing too much too soon.

“I am just concerned with health and safety,” he said. “I don’t ever want our student-athletes or coaches in danger.

 “I’m also worried that too much at the beginning gets everything closed down again, then we lose August. We don’t want that. Nobody wants that.”

St. Joseph-Ogden and Villa Grove/Heritage began the process of restarting workouts last week.

Throughout the area, slow steps are the norm.

“Right now, they are student-athletes who we haven’t seen for multiple weeks,” SJ-O football coach Shawn Skinner said. “We are working on getting them in shape.

“Their core, legs and lungs are what we want to ensure are getting ready as we progress at this time.”

SJ-O athletes are at the school in shifts, taking advantage of the weight room.

“We have eight groups and those groups have six to eight kids,” Skinner said. “We have some groups going at 7 a.m., another set at 11 a.m. and another round at 5 p.m.

“Prior to working out, we have to check the kids in with a series of questions and we record their temperatures. We will do that every time we work out, at least during this stage of our return-to-play plan.

“We have essentially created small weight rooms outside on and around our track and sports fields. The workouts incorporate speed improvement, flexibility, strength and conditioning.”

The workout takes about an hour and the athletes remain with the same group every day. Sixty-five Spartan football prospects, from freshmen through seniors, worked out last week.

Skinner said his program is not far behind where he originally expected to be by mid-June.

“Our summer plan was to always be in the weight room three days a week, so from that standpoint we are moving forward with that plan,” Skinner said. “We have lost only about two weeks of summer workouts, so we are trying to stay positive from that standpoint.”

He said the school’s staff is doing everything possible to not put anyone at risk.

“Obviously we want everyone to be as safe and healthy as can be,” Skinner said, “so we’re being cognizant of spacing and what we touch; wiping down and cleaning equipment after every athlete uses that.

“For the athletes, we want to avoid over-taxing them early. Some of them have been working out at home, but several of them have not. It’s not a race to get back in shape in one week.

“This will be a process and we have to ensure we avoid injuries, especially soft tissue injuries, as that could linger all season.”

Unless athletes were working out on their own, most had been away from regimented practices for more than 80 days. Skinner didn’t know what level of conditioning and fitness to expect from his returnees.

“I was really concerned with what shape we would be in,” he said. “Honestly, it’s better than I thought. It’s not good, but it’s not bad either.”

Villa Grove/Heritage football coach Heath Wilson has about 50 potential football players working out.

“At this point, I am just excited,” Wilson said. “Excited to get to start working with the players and coaches.

“A lot of our players are out of shape due to the stay-at-home order, so it’s time to do the work and get ready for the season.”

The staff at VG/Heritage is adhering to recommendations.

“First and foremost, we are making sure we understand and implement the guidelines appropriately,” Wilson said. “The safety of these athletes is very important. We have worked quickly to survey our players, break them into groups and get them in the weight room. 

“With seven coaches, we are able to divide and conquer. We have six groups that are working out three days a week. During this phase, we are focused on lifting and conditioning.”

The emphasis is not the same for coaches in cross-country and soccer as it is in football.

“The great thing about our sport, although it’s better to be together, it can be done solo,” SJ-O cross-country coach Jason Retz said. “Every athlete has the same ability to improve.

“We are simply going to control what we can control and enjoy each day as it comes.”

Retz expects a turnout between 40 and 50, including both the boys’ and girls’ programs.

“We meet once a week and have four groups right now,” Retz said. “They already have their own schedules they are working off, so we get together and they get it done.”

Bill DeJarnette is returning to the SJ-O soccer program he helped to implement. He has about 15 potential players thus far and they are divided into two groups.

“We plan to continue to add (groups) as we expand our recruitment,” DeJarnette said. “The workouts will vary within cycles.

“Cycle examples are Plyo, Long Slow, Intervals, fast twitch, strength and visualization, with constant evaluation of strengths and weaknesses so we can tune the workouts to address issues as needed.”

Conditioning is generally not an activity that teen-agers look forward to. This month could be an exception.

“We are excited to be back together, even if only for conditioning,” Villa Grove coach Jeanine Block said. “The girls are excited to see one another and are anxious for the next phase.”

Oakwood volleyball coach Lynn Anderson said the starting point is to make clear that the guidelines in place must be followed.

“My main concern is getting the players to understand we have regulations we have to follow,” Anderson said. “That is foreign to them, in a sense, especially with the sport.”

Block said she tries to keep things fresh and not repeat the same routine.

“Kids get bored without sport-specific activities,” Block said. “We are doing our best to make the workouts ‘competitive,’ but these girls are anxious to play volleyball.”

The unexpected break, which was mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic, took away from the ongoing changes around the SJ-O facilities.

“Prior to the virus shutting everything down, we were having a very good offseason,” Skinner said. “We had really built up some momentum in our weight room.

“Casey Hug, our athletic trainer, has assisted us in changing our strength and conditioning program and you could really see the kids’ bodies starting to change.”

A booster support group was helping to implement other additions and improvements,

“Our SJO Fan Club had purchased new equipment and Mr. Hug had updated our weight room,” Skinner said. “If we had returned from Spring Break, it would have been an entirely new facility for our kids.

“I can’t wait to get to use it in the manner we really want to soon. We hope that happens in early July as we enter the next stage in the return-to-play.”

The coaches have mixed feelings about what is in store in the weeks and months ahead.

“We will plan and work with the assumption that the fall season is a go,” DeJarnette said. “Even if not, there are no downsides to working together as a team every opportunity you get.”

Added Retz: “The opportunity to help student-athletes grow will continue to happen regardless of what the season looks like.

“Our goal is to help make better people. That will happen regardless if we get to race against other schools or not.”

Craig sees many issues that need to be resolved before games can again take place. He isn’t convinced that everything can fall into place.

“I would love to say I’m really confident, but I’m not,” Craig said. “I would say I’m somewhere between pessimist and optimist.

“I just need to see the logistics of games and locker room usage before I can become really confident.”

Block said now is the time to plan for the possibilities of what a new-normal may look like.

“I can see us playing, with precautions and possibly no fans,” she said. “We are looking at options to live stream games in case the parents/fans are not allowed to attend games.”

Anderson, too, wonders what athletic competition will look like once the games resume.

“My concern is whether we can just relax and play eventually,” Anderson said. “If we have to wear masks, wipe down balls, not touch each other, etc.

“Where is the consistency of just playing, when we have to worry with everything else? Hopefully, it won’t come to that. How confident about whether we have a season or not depends on the day and who I listen to.”

Skinner said this is a time of many questions, but few answers.

“Obviously, the threat of the virus is going to remain and it’s not going to change anytime soon,” he said. “What do we do if one of our players or coaches gets it? What will that look like? Also, how do we advance the workouts in the best/safest way; safe from a physical and spacial standpoint, but also an emotional and mental standpoint?

“These are real concerns that we need to be aware of and observe. We have a tendency as Midwesterners to have a blue color, tough-it-out, mentality. I think that we need to really reflect on that.

“If you’re feeling sick, if you have a sore throat, cough, etc., then maybe stay home a day or two. That goes against our mentality, but maybe we need to take a step back and realize it’s OK to miss a day of work, school, practice, if that means in the long run you’re healthier for it.”

He realizes that is easier said than done.

“That would require a huge change in our perception, and I am probably as guilty of this attitude as anyone,” Skinner said. “But it may be time to acknowledge we can take better care of ourselves and in the process take better care of those around us.”

Like others, Skinner knows it’s merely speculation as to whether there will be a season and – if so – when it would start and how it will look different from previous years.

“What we know is that at this time there is a strong desire and intention for there to be a return to school in August and with that a fall-sport season,” he said. “I’m working with that in mind.

“That’s all I can do at this point. If/when that changes, we will adjust.”

Retz said in one respect this year will be like all others:  There will be a need to deal with the unexpected.

“Each year brings different challenges and it will be fun to take these on one day at a time,” Retz said. “Distance running takes time.

“We’ll deal with any bump in the road there may be, but those bumps only help us learn and grow.”

The key word, Wilson said, is optimism.

“I have to stay positive and say there will be a season,” Wilson said. “I can’t imagine a fall without football.”

If the green light is given for competition, Anderson knows one fact for certain.

“We will be ready to play,” she said. “All athletes just want to get started, which might be a positive out of this whole deal.

“They will not take for granted anymore that things just always happen how they want it to. They know their lives can change that quickly now.”

The post High school athletes return for team workouts with coronavirus guidelines in place first appeared on SJO Daily.

After being held in Peoria for 25 years, the State Farm Center won the bid as part of a joint proposal from the University of Illinois, the Fighting Illini Athletic Department, State Farm Center, Visit Champaign County, and the Champaign-Urbana communities.

“We see this as the passing of the torch from Peoria to Champaign-Urbana,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “It is bittersweet because there is incredible passion for high school basketball within these two communities, and both have done so much to elevate the state final experience as hosts. The State Farm Center is one of the best arenas in the country, and we are excited to crown state champions there once again. The timing simply felt right to make a change as the tournament format shifts in 2021.”

Known as Illinois’ March Madness, the IHSA boys state tournament was held in Champaign-Urbana from 1919 to 1995. The proposal is a three-year bid encompassing the 2021 (March 11-13), 2022 (March 10-12) and 2023 (March 9-11) state tournaments.

“We are thrilled with today’s news that the Illinois high school boys’ basketball state finals will return home to the campus of the University of Illinois,” Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman said in a statement. “We are grateful to the IHSA and its leadership for choosing State Farm Center and Champaign-Urbana to host the state finals. We are humbled by their confidence in our community, which I know will come together to provide the players, families and fans of the state’s best teams a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Champaign-Urbana’s bid included interactive fan elements around the arena, city and campus marketing initiatives, a special in-arena area for parents with children, and 13 local hotels locking in three-year prices for fans below rack rate. 

The IHSA’s Wheelchair Basketball State Tournament and Special Olympics Illinois Unified Basketball Tournament will continue to be held in conjunction with the state tournament in Champaign-Urbana as well.

“We are ecstatic to welcome the IHSA boys’ state basketball tournament back to its original home at the University of Illinois,” Jayne DeLuce, president and CEO of Visit Champaign County, said in a media release statement. “Our community has evolved into a much broader vision incorporating sports, education, technology and a place of diverse culture that will provide incredible experiences for all involved. We are ready to embrace a new tradition of welcoming teams, families, fans, officials and media for the experience of a lifetime.”

Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena will continue to be the host of the girls’ state tournament finals. The IHSA girls state tournament has been held at ISU’s Redbird Arena since 1992 after being at Champaign’s Assembly Hall from 1978. 

The post Champaign-Urbana wins bid for IHSA boys’ basketball state finals first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Return to Play Guidelines are aimed at student-athlete acclimatization and general physical fitness, and will not include any skill of sport training elements. The guidelines detail the allowable activities for student-athletes and coaches, as well as the safety precautions and social distancing that must be adhered to in order to maximize safety. 

“Our kids have been without sports and school for over two months, which has taken a toll on their physical and emotional health, said IHSA SMAC member Dr. Cynthia R. LaBella, the Medical Director at Institute for Sports Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “We purposely designed this first phase to focus solely on strength and conditioning so that kids can gradually rebuild their fitness levels in small peer groups with coach guidance. This will get kids moving again with their peers in the safest way possible, which will have a huge positive impact on their physical and emotional well-being.”

Student-athletes are limited to 3 hours of participation per day under the additional requirements of:

• Maintain social distance by being 6 feet apart. 
• Masks shall be worn when social distance cannot be maintained. 
• Follow gathering guidelines of groups of 10 or less including the coach and medical personnel. Groups of 10 or less must be pre-determined. 
• Once groups are determined, students may not switch from one group to another based upon sport. Students that participate in multiple sports for the year are encouraged to be grouped, for summer participation, in their fall sport. 
• Interaction between groups shall be avoided. 
• Sessions can only include weightlifting, running, and exercises designed to promote physical fitness. 
• Sport-specific drills are not permitted, and sport-specific equipment may not be used. 
• Implement diligent and effective cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces following the guidance of the CDC and IDPH. 
• Coaches must maintain a daily record of what athletes are participating, when, symptoms they may present (see attachment). o Athletes should be monitored at start of practice for temperature >100.4F/37C or symptoms of COVID-19 (fevers, chills, cough, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell). o If symptoms are present they should not participate in practice and should be referred to a physician for evaluation and testing. 
• Free weight exercises that require a spotter cannot be conducted while honoring social distancing norms. Safety measures in all forms must be strictly enforced in the weight room. Players shall bring their own water bottle, shoes, towels, and other personal equipment. The use of locker rooms, shared water coolers with cups, and water fountains will be prohibited during this stage.

An IHSA member high school may not conduct workouts under the Return to Play Guidelines unless they have local school district approval, and are located in a Health Region that is currently in Phase 3 (or better) under the Governor’s Restore Illinois plan.

It is the responsibility of each IHSA member school to comply with the requirements.

“These guidelines fulfill the IHSA’s twin commitments to interscholastic sports and the health of the interscholastic athletes that play them,” said IHSA SMAC member Dr. Preston Wolin, the Surgeon/Director of Sports Medicine at Chicago Center for Orthopedics. “The SMAC has taken into account both the most recent news about the virus, and the opinions of experts across the country. Both the SMAC and the Board will continue to monitor events and medical opinions as time moves forward.”

“I commend the IHSA SMAC for crafting a plan that fits within the framework provided by state leadership, and refuses to compromise safety,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “The IHSA Return to Play Guidelines offer some important first steps in allowing student-athletes to reacclimate both physically and mentally to athletics, but more importantly, they allow each school to assess their own individual situation and determine if and when they want to proceed.”

The IHSA’s Return to Play Guidelines will remain in place until the IHSA or Illinois Department of Health announce further guidelines.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://sjodaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/return-to-play-guidelines-ihsa-1.pdf” title=”return to play guidelines ihsa”]

The post IHSA releases Return to Play Guidelines first appeared on SJO Daily.

They’d worked with their hearts set on one thing: making it to Peoria to play in the Class 2A IHSA state championship baseball game.

Instead, St. Joseph-Ogden’s Brendan Cooperider saw that everything they were working toward was really already right there.

“The Spartan baseball program has some amazing coaches and players that I’m proud to be affiliated with,” Cooperider said. “I’ve had the most fun spending time with these people for the last four years and I’m super appreciative. I believe that I’ve become a better person and teammate in my duration in this program.”

Cooperider began playing baseball as most boys do; his mom signed him up for t-ball.

“My dad had coached me for most of my younger years playing baseball and he had always encouraged me to improve my game,” he said. 

“Another person who’s been a great mentor is Coach Haley. He brings a great attitude and love for the game every day that helps our team become closer with one another.”

While the left fielder had his sights set on becoming a great baseball player, he also just wanted to have the skill set that made him consistent.

“I just want to be a dependable player that my teammates can rely on,” he said. “I want to be trustworthy just as I trust my teammates to do their job.”

Once the Illinois stay-at-home order went into effect, the Spartans waited to hear if they would be able to begin down the road towards a state title.

He said the team stayed connected virtually, holding each other accountable for workouts, lifting, throwing and hitting. 

The IHSA announced in late April that spring 2020 tournament will be canceled, but the organization did leave the door open for possible summer matches should stay-at-home instructions be modified.

Cooperider said that he continues to have his sights set on helping his teammates.

“I want to be a vocal leader that also is uplifting,” he said. “I want to bring the best out of my teammates any way possible whether I play or not.

“I’ve learned a great number of things being an athlete here at SJO, but with my senior year being cut short the most I’ve learned was to enjoy my time with my friends before we all take our different paths. These will be the last few months that I will see these people that I’ve grown up with and I’m trying to make the most of what we have.”

The Spartans may not be taking home a trophy in 2020, but Cooperider said that his favorite memory will always be the round robin at the St. Joseph-Ogden field. 

“It was just a beautiful day to play baseball and spend the day with friends,” he said. “That Saturday every year is something I look forward to because I leave any worries behind and just spend hours with my friends on a perfect day outside. I will always remember the ball games where we all came together and had a blast while playing the game we love.”

The post St. Joseph-Ogden’s Brendan Cooperider leaves will heart full of memories first appeared on SJO Daily.

For Sam Wesley, the opportunity to carry on the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball tradition carried weight.

“Growing up watching players like Dalton Parker and Ty Brown motivated me to want to compete for a state championship,” Wesley said. “I always wanted to be like their class. They had so much camaraderie and loved the game.”

Wesley believed that the 2020 squad had that special chemistry, too. One that would take them to the IHSA State Finals.

The IHSA canceled state tournaments in April, but kept the door open for possible summer games. St. Joseph-Ogden said they were open to the possibility of summer matches, if they are allowed. 

Wesley said that while the Spartans could not take the field together, they continued to check in with each other daily to hold each other accountable and remind each other to go throw or workout. 

“It comes down to creativity,” he said. “Being stuck in our houses is terrible, so we have to think of fun ideas to keep getting better.”

Sights set on improvement is all Wesley, who first picked up a bat at the age of three, has known.

“I was the youngest so they let me bat last and at the very least included me in the games,” he said. “I eventually started playing travel baseball and was constantly exposed to the game.”

The exposure didn’t end with what he could do, though. His dad began the tradition of taking him to Wrigley Field each year for his birthday.

“I fell in love with the sport,” he said.

Wesley’s parents have provided the first baseman and right fielder with the equipment and trainers he needed to succeed.

“However, Ryan Tabeling and Lance Kresin (my travel ball coaches) have impacted my athleticism on a whole different level,” Wesley said. “Every winter we held travel ball workouts and practices. Every practice we learned something new and continued to grow as an athlete and a player. These two coaches gave me everything I could ever ask for and have been a major influence to my baseball career.”

A skill set isn’t all Wesley learned, though. He also gained a mindset of accountability that he will take with him wherever he goes.

“If a player does not think they can win, then they have already lost,” he said. “It is important to come prepared and confident in order to win. Leadership is also a key contributor to winning baseball. A team is better when the players hold themselves accountable and the coach can just coach.”

Wesley was part of the 2016 Spartan team that went to the IHSA State Tournament. A freshman, he had a jersey, but knew that his role was to keep the pitching chart. 

As a junior, Wesley felt the electric atmosphere on the field as the Spartans captured the Class 2A IHSA Regional Championship. He faced travel ball teammates, Logan Tabeling and Lucas Kresin, in the Sectional game.

“Being able to face them was very exciting,” he said. “Although we came out on the wrong side of the game, the energy and the atmosphere is something I will never forget.”

Wesley said that he never thought the final weeks of his senior year would be taken away, but he has enjoyed spending extra time with his family who will get to watch him graduate from St. Joseph-Ogden this weekend.

“Being part of this program means that everyone is your friend, on and off the field,” he said. “We all work, help, and talk to each other. I have grown up in this program and the best teams are the ones that get along. It means everything to me that no matter what I will have lifelong friends from baseball.”

The post St. Joseph-Ogden’s Sam Wesley worked to carry on tradition first appeared on SJO Daily.

Oakwood’s Caleb Lashuay knows the gift he’s been given.

A Class of 2020 Valedictorian, Lashuay entered high school with his sights set on getting straight A’s not because he wanted to prove something, but rather because he was just appreciative of the opportunity to learn.

“I would say this came from being home schooled before high school,” Lashuay said. “I was taught at a young age how important learning was. This became stronger when I went to Ethiopia right before my freshman year. They have nothing and would do whatever they can to get an education and it opened my eyes to how important learning is and how we take it for granted so often.”

With his family behind him, Lashuay was named an Illinois State Scholar and received an Academic All-State award for wrestling. He was also named the SAR for Oakwood High School, along with being chosen to compete in the WYSE academic challenge.

“My parents pushed me to be the best I could be in school,” he said. “My brothers lead the way by having good grades so I had big shoes to fill. 

“My teachers were definitely all behind me. I would say every one of them really wanted me to learn and pushed me to be better. This really meant a lot and I am very grateful to each of them.”

Lashuay’s dedication outside of school paid off, too. He was part of the 2016 Oakwood soccer team that won the school’s first IHSA Regional title. He went on to lead the Comets as captain in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

His soccer talent paid off on the football field, too, where he almost broke the career record in two years.

Like all Illinois senior athletes, Lashuay was disappointed that the 2020 IHSA baseball season was canceled. But, after dislocating his knee during soccer season, Lashuay knew that sports can easily be taken away.

Instead, he knew that it was the impact he’d made on his fellow athletes that was most important.

“It was important for me to participate in sports because I and a pretty active guy and I’ve always liked sports,” he said. 

But his contributions to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is equally important. 

“We would have Bible studies once a week and play games with everyone who came,” Lashuay said. “Those were always good times and it was important to me to do that because I feel it’s really important to get Jesus back into the schools any way we can.”

Continuing to grow through education and faith is what Lashuay has his sights set on now that the Oakwood graduation ceremony is completed. He will attend Cedarville University, a private Christian college.

“I will not only be getting a really good education but I will also be growing in my faith,” he said.

That faith led him through the final weeks of high school. While e-learning was an adjustment, Lashuay knows that it is also something that he needed to be prepared for as he moves forward.

“I trust God has this under control,” he said. “I felt really good going into graduation because I knew that I couldn’t do anything about the situation so I did the best I could in the circumstances I was dealt. 

“That’s another thing I learned more at school: how to let go of things that are out of my control and focusing on what I can control. 

“I will definitely remember to prioritize the things that will last and not the things that can be taken away. 

“My faith family friends, those are what comes first then everything else.”

The post Oakwood’s Caleb Lashuay grateful for opportunity to learn first appeared on SJO Daily.

Coaches always talk about how a season is a marathon, not a sprint. Nothing could be truer with high school cheerleading.

Like many squads, the Oakwood High School cheerleaders began the 2019-20 season in the heat of the summer. But unlike many other squads, they will end their season in the cold of February at the IHSA State Finals at Redbird Arena.

The Comets placed second at the Carterville Sectional Saturday, guaranteeing the squad a spot at the Cheer State Preliminaries on Friday. They will perform at 12:55 in the Small Team division.

After football season ended with Oakwood High School’s first IHSA football playoff win in 31 years, the Comets turned to their basketball routine, but also prepared for their competition season.

Head coach Kacie Jones said that the goals the team set at the beginning of the season are what has helped them succeed in the marathon.

“We set small goals at the start of each practice and write them on a whiteboard to help stay focused during practice,” she said. “We also write our accomplishments on our mats so that we can see how far we have come throughout the season.”

The Comets took the court on Dec. 8 at the Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA) Invitational on Dec. 8. While their first performance wasn’t what they’d hoped it would be, the Comets qualified for the ICCA Championship where they placed 15th on Jan. 20.

The following weekend, the Comets performed at the North Pole Invite where they placed first. They also placed first in the Vermilion County Tournament in January.

Jones said the season definitely had highs and lows.

“We’ve been a bit frustrated all season because we have performed better at practices than competitions, and we have had mistakes in the last few skill sections of our routines at competition,” she said.

“But we worked together to put our best routine of the season out for sectionals.

“I always tell our athletes that the season is a marathon, not a sprint, but sectionals week is that final mile where it is time to really kick it into high gear and give it your all.”

Leading up to sectionals, the Comets really focused on hitting a routine that was clean, focusing on their strengths, including strong stunts and pyramid.

“On Saturday, we were finally able to put together a complete routine, and it was an amazing feeling when we finished!” Jones said.

“I was proud of my athletes, and excited for both the new and returning members to have the opportunity to attend state. It is a relief to know that all of your hard work from the season has paid off.”

During the sprint to the state finish line, the Comets know they must remain focused.

On Monday, they worked on adding more difficulty to their routine. As the week progresses, they will focus on execution and repetition.

“Our goal is to finish in the Top 10 and move on to the finals on Saturday,” Jones said.

No matter what, Jones is pleased with the character and determination of her 2019-20 squad.

“There have been a lot of twists and turns to this season, but they have never given up on themselves or one another,” she said. “They have really come together as a team over the past few weeks and set high expectations for themselves.”

The 2020 Oakwood Cheer Squad Members Includes: Audrey Acord, Anniston Brant, Lydia Dazey, McKenzie Ellerkamp, Xoey Ensign, Cassie Fugate, Allie Morris, Mia Nash, Allie Plotner, Shelby Smiley, Lyrik Talbert

The post Oakwood Cheer to finish marathon at IHSA State Competition first appeared on SJO Daily.