Some Menlo Athletics Facilities Reopen Following County Guidelines

The+football+team+plays+in+a+game+during+the+2019+season%2C+before+the+COVID-19+pandemic+forced+athletics+to+temporarily+shut+down.+Some+Menlo+sports+teams+have+now+started+reopening+with+new+social+distancing+measures+in+place.+Photo+courtesy+of+Pam+Tso+McKenney.

Pam Tso McKenney

The football team plays in a game during the 2019 season, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced athletics to temporarily shut down. Some Menlo sports teams have now started reopening with new social distancing measures in place. Photo courtesy of Pam Tso McKenney.

Sylvie Venuto, News Editor

Some outdoor Menlo athletics facilities opened for team use amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Gates Pool, Wunderlich Tennis Courts and Cartan Field opened the week of June 15, following San Mateo County guidelines for reopening outdoor recreational facilities, according to Upper School Athletics Director Earl Koberlein.

Workout groups at Menlo are limited to 12 people, with attendees required to wear masks until they reach the workout area, with masks being optional once in the workout area. Questions regarding their health and a temperature check must be passed before the attendees can enter the workout area, Koberlein wrote in an email.

The football team conducts body weight conditioning exercises in person, with virtual skills practices being held in the evenings, Koberlein said. Players from both the girls and boys tennis teams practiced for just a week to try out the socially-distanced practices before committing to more weeks of practice, and only eight athletes could attend each session in order to maintain social distancing, according to Koberlein. The tennis coaching staff decided to hold another week of practices later in July. Both the girls and boys water polo teams was limited to only 12 attendees and practices mostly consist of swim sets and individual water polo drills, with one person per lane swimming, Koberlein wrote in an email. The cross country team runs at the track in alternating and staggered lanes.

The status of the competitive seasons for all fall sports is currently uncertain. An announcement about the fall sports calendar is expected to come from the California Interscholastic Federation on July 20, according to Koberlein.