With fall sports kicking off, that means after school practices have arrived. Good practice is what leads to exemplary performances. However, in recent weeks, harsh weather has been affecting athletes by causing practices to get canceled or postponed. 

  Throughout late August and earlier this month, severe lightning and rainstorms have been plaguing the afternoons leading to athletes missing their workouts or arriving home late. With numerous precautions in place, even one lighting strike can cause a fluster to occur in a team’s schedule.

    The precautions for lightning are as follows; a lightning strike within seven miles of the school or sports complex will put the athletes in code gray. A response to a lightning strike can be named in many ways, but in our school’s case, it is labeled as a code gray. During a code gray, athletes must remain under a covered surface until all clear is given. 

   After every lighting strike, athletes must wait 30 minutes before there is a possibility of an “all clear”. However, if another lightning strike occurs within the 30-minute window, then the 30-minute wait is restarted. 

   “We were having practice and at around 4:30, and we got a lightning strike in the area. Coach made us go to the locker room, but it kept on storming, so we just stayed inside for the rest of practice,” said fourth-string linebacker Javier Ortiz.

   Ortiz and the football team have adapted to these situations by scheduling practices according to the weather. For instance, if the weather reports project thunderstorms during Tuesday afternoon practices, the coaches will have varsity practice in the morning.

    Other sports have been affected by the weather, specifically Newsome’s Swim and Dive program. Unlike other fall sports such as volleyball, cheer, or football, where indoor activities are part of the training regimen. Swim and dive is completely outdoor, with practice occurring at the Fishhawk Aquatic Club. 

    “Our first two swim meets got cut short due to lighting during the afternoon. It was a real bummer, as I had been training so hard just for the meets to get canceled. Also, a good chunk of practices have been getting canceled because of the recent weather,” said junior Jake Broome.

   Recent weather has been taking its toll on Newsome athletics, whilst athletes improvise to the conditions, it begs the question; how will the weather be affecting this fall season, will the lack of practice catch up in competition?