Pirates, Chicks practicing under AAA guidelines

Blytheville quarterback Jeremiah Northern and BHS head coach Lance Stone go through a drill summer practice on Tuesday.

After a long layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic local football teams started practicing this week under Arkansas Activities Association guidelines.

Both Blytheville Chickasaws head coach Lance Stone and Gosnell Pirates head coach Lewis Earnest said they’re just happy to be practicing again.

“It’s just nice to be out there honestly,” Stone explained. “Having a long layoff is rough but we are just trying to take to slow and easy and get these guys acclimated back to running around. A lot of these guys didn’t do nothing for 12 weeks.”

Gosnell head coach Lewis Earnest watches a drill during summer practice on Tuesday.

When asked how practices are going with the guidelines, Stone said that the month of June he is just getting the athletes adjusted to activities and that currently they’re on an hour practice restriction.

“We got to make it work. I’m just glad we are doing football again, honestly. Whatever we got to do we will get it done,” said Stone.

Earnest echoed Stone on being back.

“The thing is the guidelines and restrictions I understand them, but getting back and practicing with guidelines and restrictions is better than not practicing at all,” explained Earnest. “I’m just excited to be back. It doesn’t matter if we have guidelines or not. It’s the same guidelines for every school in the state. So no one is getting an advantage or anything like that so we are just excited to be back.”

The guidelines state, “Physical distancing except during active sports activity; athletes, coaches, staff asked about fever, symptoms, exposure; temperature checks for coaches,staff; face coverings for everyone 10 or older; athletes can remove during active sports activity; coaches, staff must wear at all times; showers prohibited, lockers rooms only used for storage; frequent sanitizing of equipment, facilities; avoid huddles, high fives, any non-sport related contact; directive for gyms applies to training facilities; directive for venues, dining apply to athletic event facilities.”