FORTVILLE — Little has put a hold on practice at Mt. Vernon.
Not the cold last fall. Not a few injuries here or there. As a result, the Marauders claimed their first-ever regional title.
And, during this particular climate they seemed more determined than ever.
With students out for spring break, they need a way to stay in shape. Coach Mike Kirschner's advice?
"To stay on task," Kirschner said. "We're trying to figure out a way to keep going, what we've been doing."
With his players locked out of the weight room, they've had to get creative. Lifting a cinder block here. Pushing a truck there. Flipping a tire. All while practicing social distancing at the same time as part of the new norm in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Call it old school.
"I've been impressed how our kids are going above and beyond and I love that they're attacking it," Kirschner said. "I love that they're being creative and having fun and at the same time, working for a purpose."
The players have sent him videos of using treadmills one day, bricks the next. Heck, how about two cinder blocks attacked to PVC pipe.
"The one that really got me going was our punter, Joel," Kirschner said. "He had one video of him air squatting a cinder block and then another attempting to power clean a front loader that was off a truck, picking up the front loader and pushing it down. I'm looking at this, 'Man, this is textbook.'"
With spring break and a two-week coronavirus hiatus, Mt. Vernon isn't due back in school until April 13. But whenever they return, it's clear they'll be ready.
