Frisco’s deep freeze forces Redhawk athletes to change their practices

provided by Suzanne Ramirez

After a week of canceled school, athletes were forced to get creative with their workouts. Starting Monday, school has returned to a temporary online for all students, forcing athletes to adapt to new practices.

A week of snow and ice led to no school Feb. 16-19, which meant no practices for the five varsity sports in season. This led athletes to find creative ways on how to stay in shape.

“I did my best to workout everyday and maintain good conditioning,” track and field athlete Will Ashmore said. ”But of course any workout will be limited when you are confined indoors at your house.”

Starting Monday, athletes can practice at the school’s outside facilities at staggered times in hopes to get a few reps in before their season resumes.

“I honestly really like it,” track and field athlete Jada Williams said. “I don’t have to be at school all day but I still get to go and practice.”

As soon as the track practice ends, the soccer teams take the field. 

“Practicing will give everyone a chance to get back on the field,” senior Paige Ripberger said. “And get some touches in before our district game tomorrow [Tuesday].”

However these practices will not be happening without restrictions.

“Since the school is experiencing power outages and water loss,” Riperberg said. “We will be limited to time in the field house and are required to bring our own water bottles.”

The girls’ basketball team has their third round of playoffs on Wednesday, forcing the team to get creative with their practices. 

“We are practicing in middle schools and other town sports complexes,” junior Ashely Anderson said.   

Some sports aren’t as lucky, as powerlifting has their regional meet on Thursday, without an official practice in nearly two weeks.

“We got at home workouts,” sophomore Anna Lyon said. “We were given the amount of reps to do for squat, bench, and ab workouts. We use our maxes to determine how much weight we use.”

Although Lyon was given workouts, she does not have the equipment to do them.

Powerlifting spent weeks preparing for their season together. However due to the winter storm Feb. 14-18, the team is forced to be on their own for regionals. (Michael Martin)

“I do not have weights at home,” Lyon said. “The same is for many other of our teammates. It kinda stinks since some people can workout at home while others can’t. I will just be doing running workouts at home in order to make sure I can make weight at regionals.”

However, there’s one sport that has been able to return to normal, as the two Redhawk swimmers moving on to the UIL State Championship are able to resume their normal routines. 

“Me and Mallory are still practicing this week,” sophomore Maria Oushalkas said. “Nothing has changed from before the storm so we’re able to train the same. No damage. The pool has been fine.”