Lebanon R-3 Activities Director Will Christian says the Lebanon High School Athletics program is seeing changes because of COVID-19.
The Lebanon Rotary Club heard from Christian at a meeting held via Zoom on Thursday.
He said at this point in time they are currently moving forward as normal with fall activities.
“Is it possible we could end up starting later and do all those things, absolutely," he said. “At what point do we begin the planning for that? I feel like July, I think in July we’ll have a much better picture of what things will look like in the fall and we’ll be busy at that time, navigating through any adjustments that have to be made.”
Christian said when school activities were put on hold in March, they had hoped school activities could resume before the end of the school year.
“Unfortunately we were unable to do that,” he said. “Activities are the tail, academics are the head and that’s the way it should be. Out governing body, the Missouri High School Activities Association shut down things so when the school year went completely virtual, obviously a very challenging time for all of our kids and all of our coaches, trying to navigate how to deal with that.”
He said they are planning some activities in the summer they hope can give students some closure, “even though it won’t be quite the same.”
He said they are also planning some training activities for student athletes so they are ready when they are able to resume activities.
“We are in the process of working with local leaders and out state on what guidelines we need to meet to make that happen and within the reopening there are ways we can begin to do some forms of summer competition,” he said.
The school will have a senior night for athletes and their parents on social media and hold some virtual award ceremonies.
“As far as our future plans, we are still navigating through what the summer is going to look like,” he said. “If we are able to compete in the month of June or July, which is probable, we might do some recognitions through that.”
Christian also gave an update on Lebanon graduate Justin Britt who was released by the Seattle Seahawks.
“Coming off an injury last year it was in the best interest of that organization to save cap room so they could invest it in another position, another need area, that is a pretty common thing in the NFL right now with the salary cap,” he said.
He said Britt is looking at several offers, which are contingent on him passing a physical.
Christian said he believes Britt will sign another deal and teams looking at him include the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins.
“I know many would like to see him in a Chief uniform as I would, unfortunately, the Chiefs salary cap space is very small,” Christian said. “I don’t see the possibility of him becoming a Chief unless he’s willing to take a lot less than his current value on the market and I don’t see that.”
