Wave football awaits return to summer workouts

Around this time, Brooke Hill is on campus, decked out in his khaki shorts and sporting the newest Greenwave football hat.

Players are lifting weights, running drills and doing what is necessary for Fallon to make another run at a state championship. With the pandemic, though, Hill and coaches across the Silver State are in a bind. High school campuses remain closed even with school dismissed for the summer. And the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association informed all schools last month that summer workouts are prohibited until further notice.

“It’s obviously a challenge every coach is facing. It’s something none of us has anticipated,” Hill said. “We’re trying to make sure kids understand if they can work out at home. I’m sure we’ve got some who are and some who aren’t. We’ve been proactive with different plans ourselves on when we can go back.”

Hill is hopeful that the ban will be lifted next month but his staff has prepared for different scenarios, including starting workouts in August or later, or not even at all. Donnie Nelson, assistant director at the NIAA, said that phase proposals were sent to the governor’s office and state department of education.

“We’re hoping for an approval very soon and hoping school facilities will be allowed to open for summer activities sooner than later,” he said.

With the state moving from the first reopening phase to Phase 2 last month due to the continued decline in positive test rate, high school sports could soon be given the green light to start summer workouts. Among the items discussed in Gov. Steve Sisolak’s Phase 2 update was youth sports, but no details were provided on the scope and new restrictions. At some point in this phase, youth sports will be back.

“I feel like things are moving a little more in a positive direction,” Hill said. “I’m planning for a 2020 season. We’ve got a full schedule. We’re excited for the season.”

Fallon, which has gaps to fill from last year’s state runner-up team, is scheduled to begin the 2020 season with back-to-back games against 5A schools Reno and Reed. Hill, who lost his entire secondary, four starters and several playmakers at quarterback and receiver, is confident Fallon will be ready to compete this fall despite cancelling a team camp and not having spring football. The annual Mind of a Champion football camp was also cancelled.

“We’ve got enough of our program in and the kids understand what we’re doing,” Hill said. “We’ll be OK. Everyone else is in the same boat.”