MTHS athletic director says school will wait to offer conditioning exercises

While some Edmonds School District student athletes prepare to return to the practice field, Mountlake Terrace High School has announced it would not be participating in the outdoor conditioning starting Jan. 19.

In a letter addressed to Terrace families, MTHS Athletic Director Sharlee Burr wrote that the school’s administration and coaching staff have decided to wait until they feel it is completely safe for coaches, athletes, families and the community at large. Instead, Burr said any decision on when the school will offer conditioning sessions will be based on the trend and metrics of COVID-19. 

“Administration and the coaching staff will review this data weekly, starting (Jan. 19), and when administration and coaches feel it is safe to start holding outdoor conditioning at our school, we will do so,” she said.

During its Jan. 12 business meeting, the Edmonds School Board heard plans from the athletic staff about authorizing students from each of the district’s four comprehensive high schools to participate in socially-distanced outdoor conditioning sessions on their campus’ athletic fields. According to the plan, staff are proposing breaking student athletes into groups of five for 45-minute sessions.

Other reasons Burr said that MTHS plans to delay the start date include uncertain trends in positive cases, wanting to give students enough time to sign up and allowing coaches ample time to prepare and plan workout pods. 

Since the athletics season does not begin until Feb. 22, Burr said delaying will still allow students adequate time to start, manage and increase student conditioning workload.

Additionally, athletics staff detailed the school’s own plans for moving forward with conditioning exercises when students and staff are ready. The following steps listed by Burr can be found below:

  • A Google Doc sign-up sheet link will be posted during school announcements tomorrow, Jan. 14, for students to sign-up for participating in outdoor conditioning, and will run in announcements until Friday, Jan. 22. This will give students a week and a half to sign up for outdoor conditioning.
  • In this Google Doc, there will be directions on how to sign-up and be eligible to participate in outdoor conditioning, much like the paperwork needed in order to be eligible to participate in a sports season.
  • Head coaches, along with school administration, will have a Zoom meeting Friday, Jan. 22, to discuss COVID trends and metrics as well as a potential start date for outdoor conditioning.

“Please know that our school administration and coaching staff want students to start participating in outdoor conditioning as soon as possible,” Burr said. “However, we want to make sure that our school and all stakeholders involved are ready to do so in a safe and healthy manner.”

Parents with additional questions can contact the head coach of their students’ sport, school administration or the athletics coordinator/secretary.

— By Cody Sexton

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