By Ethan Ellis--Eagle Staff Writer
Without a doubt, this has been one of the strangest football seasons on record. Not only did the season start months after it was originally scheduled to begin, but it will also has been done with a limited number of fans.
The main question that remains is: how have the players adapted?
“Covid has affected numerous things about our off season training and current practices,” said Daniel Dyer, who serves as the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach for the Varsity team.
During this pandemic, football was one of the hardest-hit sports being that it is one of the most contact heavy sports played.
“With the crazy schedule, we might not even know who we'll play,” Walter Edwards, the head coach of the Varsity football team, said.
While the official schedule for this season has been released, it will be a short one, as it includes only six regular-season games, making every game that much more important. As most sports have seen this year, the original schedule is far from the final schedule.
“It definitely has been a 'roll with the punches' approach with things constantly changing,” Dyer said.
With the pandemic, players have had to change how they work out, and the coaches have had to change the workouts given to them. Players like senior Hunter Hooper, a defensive tackle for the Varsity team, have had to learn to adapt to the changes given to them.
“The hardest part is working around regulations,” Hooper said.
Players have had to adjust to drastic changes to their training routine that include virtual workouts, mask wearing in the locker room, and doing drills in small groups. One thing that has become heavily relied on with these limited workouts is integrity.
“Being an athlete requires daily maintenance on your body. Some have done a great job, others not so much,” Edwards recalled.
The Eagles’ season kicked off on Feb. 26 when they hosted and beat Northside for their first of two games against them. Their schedule also features opponents like William Byrd, Staunton River, and Lord Botetourt. The regular season will conclude on April 2 when they host William Fleming.
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