FARMINGTON – It hasn’t been a typical season for Mt. Blue athletes, but morale has remained high according to Athletic Director Chad Brackett. Most teams have been running drills since June, making the most of the situation with face coverings and social distancing, so when a new type of program was announced for the fall, it was a welcomed idea.
Regional School Unit 9 is the only district in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference that decided against fall sports. Brackett said he and the coaches knew it was a possibility all along, and had come up with the idea of “Friday Night Lights” to maintain team unity.
“It has allowed the kids to meet, exercise, and gain all of those social/emotional benefits that come with team sports, while adding a little bit of competition and fun,” Brackett said. “We really wanted to capture that environment of being under the lights, with music playing and your name being announced.”
The weekly games included kick ball, capture the flag and a relay race, among others. Rules of play were adjusted to meet the health safety requirements caused by COVID-19, and the athletes were expected to wear double layered face masks and maintain social distancing. While the idea was discussed to create co-ed, mixed-sport teams, the goal of team unity overruled. As a result, football players had the chance to shoot a field hockey ball, and cheerleaders were able to punt a kickball. Tomorrow night, all of the athletes will participate in a dance off.
“These kids were really grieving the loss of this season, and we tried to communicate that while we can’t replace a varsity football season, we can do something different and have fun,” Brackett said.
The first annual “Cougar Cup” will be awarded at the end of the season. While Brackett said he hopes it’s the only Cougar Cup, the coaches have been talking about ways to continue the low key fun and exercise provided by the program.
“It could turn something that has been really challenging into something positive,” Brackett said.
