LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — A group of lineman take to the field in Peckville. They come in small waves. This Valley View football team has been through several periods on in-activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It has been a struggle lately with the coronavirus impacting us. We have off and on down here all summer. It is hard to keep up with the workouts but we are trying to do as much as we can on our own. I feel like us and the guys have done a really good job working out as much as we could with what we we're given with the current situation," said Matt Smith.
When the kids first get here it is a temperature check and nobody goes into the locker room. Then immediately they are out onto the field with their water bottles and helmets to get ready for practice.
"We are so far behind with conditioning and things like that. That is pretty much what we are going to concentrate on. We haven't done any football work, so right now are concentration is on getting kids into the weight room, conditioning again and hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will start doing a little football work. You know we are really playing catch-up compared to the other schools," said George.
During the day Coach Howanitz teaches Biology classes on-line then it's back to practice. Juggling school, family and the safety and well-being of his football team has been a challenge.
"It's a horrible situation to be put into. I have a son in college who is virtual. I have a son now that's a sophomore that's going to be here that's going through virtual so it's a tough situation," again said George.
"With the coronavirus and all that we have been struggling to get down here, so we try to do our best that we can on our own," said Mark Mariani.
Getting back to normal is the goal around here. Valley View won't play a game until October.
Steve Lloyd Newswatch 16 sports Lackawanna County.