The Hope high school and junior high athletics programs opened summer workouts at Hammons Stadium at Hope High School on Monday. Co-Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Phillip Turmer said the two programs will build incrementally through the two-week conditioning program. Turner said the Arkansas Athletics Association has yet to provide definitive guidance regarding the 2020 football season schedule. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools

HOPE – The Hope Bobcats’ high school and junior high football programs opened off-season workouts Monday under guidance concerning COVID-19.

“We will start with conditioning this week; get everyone acclimated after a long time off,” Co-Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Phillip Turner said. “And, we will go into the weight room next week.”

Turner emphasized workouts will be conducted under the guidance approved through the office of Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hart.

Current guidance requirements include:

Athletics physicals:

--Student athletics physicals are valid for up to 15 months, and must be determined accordingly.

--The Bobcat Clinic will continue to offer appointments for athletics physicals, which must be arranged and attended by a parent.

Required daily screening:

--All coaches and student athletes will have temperature screenings prior to entry into HPS athletics facilities.

--There will be ONE entry and exit point; and, high school athletes should be dropped off and picked up in front of the HHS gym entrance in the campus bus drive.

--All coaches and athletes who answer “yes” to any question on the screening form at the facility entrance will be excluded from practice.

Face coverings/masks:

--All athletes and coaches will be required to wear a mask when entering any athletics facility or workout.

--A mask will be given to every athlete upon entry into a facility or workout.

--Each athlete’s mask will be labeled with their name; and, masks will be collected at the end of workouts to be washed for distribution the next day.

Workout gear:

--All athletes must wear his/her own workout gear to and from each workout.

--No laundry will be available at the school.

--No athletes will be allowed into the locker room to store items.

Water bottles:

--Each athlete is required to furnish his/her own filled water bottle; preferably, a one-gallon bottle which can be purchased at Walmart and labeled with the athlete’s name.

Off-season workouts: Sessions which began July 6 will be expanded and times altered accordingly.

--Days 1-2: One session per day; maximum one hour in length.

--Days 3-5: One session per day; maximum 1.5 hours in length.

--Days 6-10: One session per day; maximum two hours in length.

--Days 11-13: One session per day; maximum 2.5 hours in length.

--Days 14-15: One session per day; maximum three hours in length.