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Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Masked up and distant, MICDS opens practice with Bouchard at the wheel - STLtoday.com

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LADUE — Fred Bouchard beat the sun out of bed Monday morning.

MICDS’ new football coach didn’t have varsity practice until 4 p.m., but that didn’t stop his body from waking him well before dawn.

“The first day is always an optimistic day,” Bouchard said. “I still woke up at 3 a.m., excited about what was going on, maybe nervous in knowing this is not like what any of my 30-plus years of coaching has looked like.”

Before landing at MICDS, Bouchard spent six seasons at Harrisonville where the program won four state championships in his tenure. He also helped build Staley's program from scratch and spent eight years at the suburban Kansas City school. He was most recently an assistant superintendent with Decatur Public Schools in Illinois. 

"It's unprecedented," Bouchard said of his first day at MICDS. "Who’d have thought back in February when we signed on this is how day number one would look?" 

MICDS was one of a handful of football teams to start preseason practices in St. Louis County Monday, the first day members of the Missouri State High School Activities Association could begin preparing for fall sports.

Every public school district in St. Louis County and the members of the Metro Catholic Conference opted not to start practice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has altered life since March.

The Metro League, which MICDS is a part of, the Archdiocesan Athletic Association and the Metro Women’s Athletic Association were all cleared by their school administrators to begin as scheduled.

“I appreciate our leadership saying, ‘If you guys can do business right and follow these parameters, we’ll give you that opportunity,’” Bouchard said. “We’re going to watch ourselves really closely and try to monitor.”

The Rams were at practice but it wasn’t like any practice Bouchard has ever been a part of. All of the players wore masks as they went through drills, despite the near triple-digit heat index. The coaches had them broken into groups of 20 or fewer and socially distanced from one another as recommended by the St. Louis Sports Medicine COVID-19 task force, which cleared youth sports to begin Phase 2 workouts on Monday.

Since mid-July, youth sports were in a more restrictive Phase 1 that was limited to nine players and one coach in a group.

The players were excited to be together and working at practice. There are plenty of their comrades around the county that were not able to say the same.

“We’re fortunate to have the opportunity. I know a lot of schools and kids don’t have that opportunity right now,” senior cornerback Trevon Bobo said. “It’s really a great feeling to be out here with our friends and our teammates and get to fly around. It’s really fun.”

When the threat of COVID-19 shut down schools in March and forced the cancellation of the spring high school season, it was a real reminder to the student-athletes to not take anything for granted. Clarity on what lies ahead remains in short supply and every day can bring new twists and turns. Instead of sweating it, the players work with what they’re given.

“In a way it makes it simpler for us. We’re not thinking long term,” senior linebacker Grant Purdy said. “Right now it’s get better each and every day, one day at a time. We’ll let everything play out and hopefully we’re in a good spot when it happens.”

That MICDS was able to practice is a small glimmer of what could potentially happen this fall should conditions in the area and state go in the right direction. The spread of the virus, hospital admissions and positive tests are all factors as the St. Louis County Department of Public Health makes it recommendations and guidelines for area schools and youth sports.

“There is something about the mental health, the wellness of ‘let’s get out and do something physical,’” Bouchard said. “It’s one of the positive things about pulling them together. Hope is a wonderful thing. When you dash all hope, things can fall apart. I think this is a positive thing to get out.”

Bouchard believes the possibility of a fall season will help his players make sure they are accountable not just at practice but in the community. If they believe their personal efforts can help make the season happen, they’ll be more likely to police themselves by wearing a mask, social distancing and making good choices.

“I know because these guys are playing for something they’re going to crank up their own accountability,” Bouchard said.

That’s not to say it guarantees anything. The Rams are just one team. But every little bit helps.

“A lot of this we have no control over,” Bouchard said. “What can we control? Our attitude when we get out here and work at it. I really appreciate the group that has come here with a really great work attitude.”

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August 11, 2020 at 08:15AM
https://www.stltoday.com/sports/high-school/football/masked-up-and-distant-micds-opens-practice-with-bouchard-at-the-wheel/article_d1af7e94-db67-11ea-bf87-278646747a02.html

Masked up and distant, MICDS opens practice with Bouchard at the wheel - STLtoday.com

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