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Snowed in: How hoops players stayed active last weekend


It’s crunch time for local basketball teams. With both the YAIAA and district playoffs taking place the next couple weeks, it’s the point of the season when players need to be sharp.

Which means it’s not an ideal time for a snowstorm to take place.

Not only did this weekend’s storm cancel all games in the YAIAA, it also made it difficult for teams to practice and work out. With roads messy and schools closed, players were forced to get creative if they wanted to stay in shape.

That doesn’t mean all of them just sat on the couch and relaxed the entire weekend. A number of teams held both formal and informal workouts to keep active.

According to New Oxford senior Devon Duvall, the Colonials varsity players went to a local YMCA three times in a five-day stretch from last Friday to Tuesday to scrimmage and do drills on their own. He also added that the Colonials shoveled plenty of snow to “work on our muscles.”

“We worked on conditioning on our own since we’re looked out of school,” Duvall said. “It was a nice break to rest up so we can finish the season strong with lots on energy.”

One school that did have organized practices was Gettysburg. The Warriors waited until later in the day Monday and Tuesday once the roads were cleared to hold workouts.

“The snow was a challenge but when you get in the gym the snow doesn’t matter,” Gettysburg senior guard Marquise Camel said. “Coach (Jeff Bair) still made us run suicides when we missed our free throws.”

One team that didn’t hold any team workouts was Hanover, though senior Kyle Krout said he spent most of the weekend practicing at the YMCA and that plenty of his teammates worked out on their own as well.

Krout also said he watched film over the weekend to prepare for the four games the Nighthawks have between Friday and next Tuesday. The Nighthawks are still in the race for the Division III title.

“I just made sure that each day I touched a basketball and then on most days I got into a gym and did a shooting workout to make sure I stayed consistent during the long break,” Krout said.

Hanover girls basketball players Emma Bell, McKenzie Cleary and Mattie Heath had a different way of getting exercise during the storm on Saturday.