Santa Fe High head football coach Andrew Martinez has already limited his practice preparations

Andrew Martinez loves his football. He’s played the game, coached it and follows it.

So with the updated inviting news from the New Mexico Activities Association, the head coach at Santa Fe High is back in business to revive the state’s prep athletics shut down by COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. His goal of course is the 2020-21 campaign, and he’s recently mapped out a plan to hold practices with with a passing machine (think JUGS gun) tossing balls to receivers while quarterbacks will throw to stationary trash cans.

That’s football, Martinez football.

In basketball, there’s the planning of each player to get one ball and can’t pass to others or chase it down loose balls that belong to teammates.

These are among the restrictions that apply at this time. And as for the fans, that’s where the real guessing begins. For instance, buying tickets for the family and sitting shoulder to shoulder brings on the social distancing restriction. The first sound of a cough or sneeze might create a disturbance that could escalate quickly,

What measures will take place when crowds are limited to a certain size, and what will take place to even ensure proper social distancing? Will concessions stands and additional restroom facilities be available? Who takes the greater risk, fans or the schools?

Said Sally Marquez, NMAA board president: “Coaches, I beg you, stay within the guidelines. I know you’re frustrated, but we must take this step-by-step.”

There are four phases worked out by the NMAA’s board of directors, and they are presently in Phase 1. It’s not much at this point, but it’s a start. The main first takeaway mapped out by the board is to use sports patience, stick to the game plan. Marquez added that schools can reopen by mid-June and each will use tougher protocols, but must adhere to the basic promises of Phase 1.

For the time being, water bottles will be rivaled in number by hand sanitizer, and team trainers will be extra quick with thermometers as they are with athletic tape. Precaution will be the initial step to regaining some resemblance of normalcy. Weight rooms are off limits until Phase 2, but weight equipment outside for what is deemed a safer environment.

And coaches must take a COVID-19 test before working with the youngsters and groups are limited to five athletes and one coach.

No passing, no sharing of equipment, no fans for there are officially no games, no interaction inside for what would be called a normal team activity.

Marquez said that she is optimistic that prep sports will return in some form or fashion. Whether that will be in August, September, October or even January is still up in the air.

Whatever the immediate future is, it’s safe to assume that the 2020-21 athletic calendar will be unlike ever seen before. Schedules might be trimmed or pushed back weeks or even months. Travel to so-called hot spots could be limited, and the traditional run of championship events, whether November for fall sports, March for basketball, and May for all spring sports, could easily slip into an unfamiliar time, and hopefully they will even be held.

Like Andrew Martinez, coaches have already began planning their workouts, although the health restrictions do limit them to conditioning drills and not much else. Some sports like cross country, golf and tennis are decided low-risk activities while sports like football, cheerleading, and wrestling classified as high risk and come with thr strictest of mandates.

All of them, from softball to track to the contact sports of soccer and others, are hands-free zones for the time being.

As Marquez said, there are guidelines that must be followed and that the consequences of violating the NMAA’s directives will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. She is on board she said for all four phases to carry prep sports back to the field of play.