WASILLA, Alaska (KTUU) – The Wasilla High School tennis team met for their first practice of the season on Wednesday, and this year a little extra gear is required. The Warriors head coach Jennifer Anderson says each player is required to wear a mask when they are not competing, all equipment will be cleaned, and each athlete is required to bring their own water bottle.

“Doing everything we possibly can to ensure our athlete’s safety so they can come out and play,” Anderson said.

Even with the extra precautions, the athletes were glad to be back.

“I love that we are doing tennis, I’m glad we get the opportunity this year,” Wasilla High Senior Ana Abalos said.

Tennis along with cross-country running, cheer, football, swim and dive are all returning to practice this week for schools in the Mat-Su borough school district. Since the Mat-Su Borough is at an intermediate risk level, which means its averaging 5-10 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, the district is following the Alaska Schools Activities Association COVID-19 protocol outlining what athletes and teams can do under specific risk levels.

The return of sports is a district by district decision across the state, and ASAA is providing guidelines similar to the Alaska Department of Education’s “Smart Start 2020” initiative. The activities association also has return to play protocols for fall sports outlining how districts could hold games and events under low and medium risk. The Mat-Su Borough School District told KTUU that events will stay within the district, and will be based on the borough’s coronavirus risk level at that time.

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