PHOTOS: Westminster basketball players stay safe and train on outdoor campus courts

Westminster High senior Tadan Smith goes up for a dunk during conditioning drills on campus. (Photos courtesy Westminster basketball)

High school athletic teams in Orange County have gotten creative as they try to continue conditioning drills during an uncertain time for sports due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Sophomore Nathan Om goes through conditioning drills.

Junior Bryan Lai takes a shot.

Junior Kyle Halk takes part in conditioning drills.

One of the teams is the Westminster High basketball squad, which under Coach CJ Hollingsworth is running drills on its outside courts on campus since teams aren’t allowed to practice in gymnasiums due to the pandemic.

“As allowed by our school district we (Westminster boys varsity, JV and frosh) workout as a team three days a week,” Hollingsworth said Thursday.

“We are following safety guidelines set forth by our district (Huntington Beach Unified School District) and the state government. Students check in with temperature checks and a brief verbal COVID screening. Students must wear a mask to enter campus and during practices and workouts. 

“Students are provided a cleaning station to sanitize after practice. My Principal (Amy Sabol) and Athletic Director (Kyle Gorham) have been extremely supportive and helpful in navigating the ever changing safety guidelines and providing teams with PPE and cleaning supplies. Also our athletic trainer is on site daily to help police safety guidelines and standards amongst the practicing teams.”

Hollingsworth said the players are also being supported by the Adidas Legacy program.

“We are also very grateful to be an Adidas Legacy school,” he said. “The Legacy team has provided constant attention to the needs of my boys.  Hope, mentorship, gear, if my players need it, Adidas Legacy provides.  Though I do have a lot of concerns I am comforted knowing that a lot of people are invested in the individual success of all of our Westminster Lions.”

Westminster’s coaches and players are waiting to see about the status of basketball for 2021. Under the proposed CIF plan, boys basketball is grouped in the second sports season from March to June. However, under tiers established by the California Department of Health, basketball is grouped in the yellow tier, which would require mimimal coronavirus cases in each county. It’s not known whether the tiers could be adjusted by state officials.

CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod is scheduled to provide an update on high school sports on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com