NEWS.
(SL)
STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE HAD IT
ROUGH.
SPRING SPORTS - WERE CANCELED.
THIS FALL - FOOTBALL AND
VOLLEYBALL HAVE BEEN CANCELED -
OR AT LEAST PUSHED BACK TO THE
SPRING.
BUT 12 NEWS REPORTER KAIT WALSH
SHOWS US HOW SOME SPORTS -
LIKE TENNIS - ARE STILL PLAYING.
"In a few days, these tennis
courts will be fixed up, the
nets will be rolled back out,
and they'll be put to use this
fall, because the Mount Hope
HIgh School girls tennis team
found out they'll have a season.
While it's an abbreviated one,
they're just excited they'll be
able to do what they love."
IF THERE EVER WERE A SOCIALLY
DISTANT SPORT - IT'S TENNIS.
THE ATHLETES ARE WELL OVER SIX
FEET APART - THE ONLY CONTACT
THEY HAVE WITH EACH OTHER - IS
THROUGH A BALL - WHICH IS HIT BY
A RACKET.
"We have to eliminate a few
things like handshakes and
different things like that, but
for the most part, the normalcy
is just like years past."
GEOFF KEEGAN IS THE COACH OF THE
DIVISION TWO REIGNING CHAMPION
TENNIS TEAM AT MOUNT HOPE HIGH
SCHOOL IN BRISTOL.
THIS YEAR - THEY STILL HAVE
THEIR EYE ON THE PRIZE - BUT THE
PERSPECTIVE HAS SHIFTED.
"This year we have up to like 18
seniors this season. A lot of
seniors this year!"
THE SENIOR CAPTAINS SAY - TENNIS
IS MORE THAN JUST A SPORT - IT
HELPS BUILD FRIENDSHIPS - AND
THEY'RE SAD FOR SENIORS IN
CONTACT SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL OR
INDOOR SPORTS LIKE VOLLEYBALL -
THAT WERE CANCELED FOR THE FALL.
"This is not how anyone expected
their senior year to go and the
sports that they love this is
their final year to maybe even
play the sport if they're not
playing in college,."
FOR THIS STORY - WE ASKED THE
CAPTAI NS TO SHOW US BRIEFLY
SOME OF THEIR SKILLS - BUT THE
STATE WON'T LET THEM HOLD ANY
OFFICIAL PRACTICES OR EVEN HOLD
TRYOUTS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21ST -
ABOUT A MONTH LATER THAN USUAL.
"Just like any year, they would
be out on their own practicing
and preparing for the season."
MEANWHILE - COACH KEEGAN IS
STUDYING THE NEW GUIDELINES FROM
THE STATE.
"We've even talked about
potentially using multiple cans
of tennis balls, so they're not
even sharing those."
"The team said while they are
starting to plan for the first
day of tryouts and practices in
a couple of weeks, they are
still waiting to get more
guidance from the Rhode Island
Interscholastic League on how
exactly it will all play out. In
Bristol, I'm Kait Walsh, 12
News."
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy this
evening and then clearing, dry
and comfortable. 70s early
evening, cooling to 60-65 late.
MONDAY (LABOR DAY): Nice! Mostly
