Miramonte sports began training camps in the fall, including lacrosse, cross country, track and field, tennis, basketball, football, and volleyball. The Miramonte staff and coaches have worked hard to maintain and follow the guidelines set by the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) while allowing the athletes to resume training for their respective sports.

“To the credit of our coaches, they have worked well together and everyone has been willing to sacrifice to a degree so that we are able to provide access to the facilities for all the camps. It has been great to have so many Miramonte students having the opportunity to safely connect with their peers and participate, although with restrictions, in the sports that they love,” Athletic Director James Lathrop said.

Students must read and sign an AUHSD Camp Protocol Acknowledgment and liability form in order to participate. The form lists eight guidelines for students to follow while playing. Most guidelines are safety precautions from spreading germs or a virus, specifically COVID-19. Contact sports are prohibited from playing with contact, and there cannot be more than 14 people in a training camp group. If there are more than 14 people at a camp, the coaches must split them up into separate groups that must stay at least six feet apart. “It’s tough to follow new rules, but it’s still fun to play on the team,” football and lacrosse player Nick Blair ‘24 said.

While the camps are a difficult adjustment for some new players, captains also have to switch their leadership style and think of new ways to bring their teams together.“We have organized workouts with coaches, which tend to be pretty minimal as we have to follow the district’s health guidelines. As a captain, it’s going to be especially tough this year to gauge what kind of team we have until right before the season starts, as we’re probably going to lose some players to other sports. For the most part, we’re excited to be back on the field and ready to get the chance at a full senior season,” water polo player and boys lacrosse captain Rigby Blair ‘21 said.

In accordance with the district guidelines, teams can only use their practice space during their allotted time and all coaches must wear a mask during the entire practice session. Athletes must wear a mask upon arrival and until instructed to remove it by a coach or official. Spectators are also not allowed at the camps, and different sports are not allowed to intermingle.

Fortunately for some athletes, not all sports are severely impacted by the rules. Non-contact sports like tennis and cross country are able to maintain a similar practice routine without violating the district guidelines. “Because tennis doesn’t contain physical contact, we are required to stay six feet from each other. However, we only have a few players on the courts at a time, leaving times to practice with each other flexible. Luckily, we haven’t been affected too badly and the tennis team is still looking fierce,” tennis athlete Clemens Van Dongen ‘22 said.