KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rockhurst High School is determined to prevent the pandemic from taking away their football season.
“We try not to eat out together as a team anymore. We try not to have any group gatherings outside of football and we do a good job of sanitizing and washing our hands," said Wilson Selzer, Senior at Rockhurst High School.
It's the little things that will have a big impact on the football season and the decision to continue play.
“That was a big worry going into the season but thankfully, we’re out here," said Adward Fraizer, Senior at Rockhurst High School.
To prevent a cancellation, players and coaches are taking precautions, but say the process is not a simple one.
“I think just the pre-planning of how you have to do everything. How every drill, how everyone has to be spaced, be cognizant of everything you do from the time they get here in the parking lot with temp checks and spacing and masks to dots on the field that we have to keep them spaced, to every coach being cognizant of having a mask on and knowing anytime they see someone within 6 feet, they’re saying something right away, so our guys have done a great job," said Kelly Donohoe, Head Football Coach, Rockhurst High School.
At practice, once their helmets come off, the players masks go on.
Seeing fall sports cancellations elsewhere, players at Rockhurst told 41 Action News they don't want to think the same could happen to their season.
“We have to prepare like we’re having a season, and I think the boys are doing a really good job of preparing like we are having one," said Selzer.
Coach Donohoe said he is optimistic Rockhurst will play their full season.
“I think college football world is a whole different beast than us because of hotels and planes and travel and stuff and we fortunately don’t have all that and we expect to play and we would be horribly disappointed if anyone took this away," said Donohoe.
Rockhurst will play their first game of the season on August 28 against Raymore-Peculiar.
