Newton County Academy is the first local school to return athletes to campus.
Newly hired NCA football coach Arnie Oakes said players will return to campus this week and begin summer workouts.
“We did physicals on Thursday and we will begin our summer weight program on Tuesday. We will bring in a limited number of kids in at one time and keep everything cleaned up and get everything rolling. We will probably bring in 10 or so at a tie. If we have more than 10, we will have a group inside and a group outside so we don’t have too many in one place.”
Oakes was hired in early February and got to meet with the team before spring break. Oakes was planning a spring training but all of that got cancelled.
“It has been a big setback,” Oakes said. “The biggest thing is not being able to be there and see the kids. And I haven’t been able to get out in the community. But I have been on the phone with kids and let them know that I am thinking about them. I’m just hoping we don’t have another setback.”
Oakes said he hopes to use these two weeks before the first of June to get players over soreness.
“We will have to kind of pace ourselves,” Oakes said. “They are going to be somewhat active but not as active as if they were at school. I know some of the kids have been working and running. But it’s still not a structured workout.
“I want to see what they can do those first couple of weeks. I want to see where they are at and what they can do. Same thing outside. We’ll put them through the paces and get them back acclimated. By the time the first week of June gets here, they should be ready to go full tilt.”
Oakes said he hopes NCA’s numbers will pick up for the upcoming season.
“I will be happy if we can get 25 kids out,” Oakes said. “I hear that we will have a few more come out but that is yet to be seen. Just having the numbers allows you to get people in the right spots.”
