Tiara Rose is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Camelback High School for AZPreps365.com

Camelback High School’s athletics faculty is focusing on student well-being, academics, and fitness during the coronavirus shutdown of schools and sports. 

Since classes have stopped meeting in person, Athletic Director James Arndt said that all virtual learning is supplemental. Arndt and his colleagues are using virtual means to keep up with students.

“A lot of kids are taking advantage of (the shutdown),” said Brandon McNutt, who coaches three sports and teaches multiple subjects at Camelback. “I’ve got a lot of kids with C’s and D’s in my class that are working hard and bringing those grades up.”

McNutt said focusing on academics during this time could benefit some student- athletes who have the talent to play at the next level but need extra instruction to improve their GPAs and prepare for standardized tests.

McNutt would be coaching track this spring if it wasn’t for the pandemic. He may not be spending long hours at meets, but he is still able to meet with his football team in regular meetings online. The team is reviewing footage from last season’s games a few days a week through a service that Phoenix Union High School District provides for coaches.

Students can also stay active by participating in the workouts that McNutt puts together, all of which can be done without gym equipment.

“A lot of our kids don't have free weights at home," Arndt said. “(The students) can get creative with boulders and bags of rice.”

Academics and physical activity are not Arndt’s or McNutt’s primary concern at this time though. Both mentioned checking on their students’ well-being and home life as an important part of being involved at this time.

McNutt said his Monday meetings are utilized to make sure his athletes aren’t having any trouble connecting to classes online and that everything at home is going well.

Joining him in the effort to ensure students have regular check-ins is the rest of Camelback’s school district. Arndt said that the district began a campaign called “every student every day” where each student will receive a phone call from a faculty member every day.

“It was an idea floated by our superintendent,” Arndt said. “Now it looks like Chicago public schools are going to follow suit, and maybe one or two in California. So that's awesome. I'm really proud to be leading the way.” 

Although staff at Camelback have found ways to make a positive impact during the coronavirus crisis, they are still aware of what the students, especially seniors, are missing. 

“When you're a freshman, you don't really understand what it means to be a senior on the field,” Arndt said. “But as you get towards senior year, all that anticipation is building and it's what you work for. It's what you set your goals around. So, to not be able to release all that, that's a bummer.”

The AIA has also acknowledged the loss that seniors may be feeling.

 “For a lot of these kids, this time next year, they'll be going off in different directions to college,” said Jeannine Brandel, athletic director at Flagstaff High and president of the AIA Executive Board. “They're feeling that loss and connection with some of their friends.”

Brandel said that the AIA is committed to doing something for the students whose high school sports careers were cut short.

For the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who will be returning to campus at Camelback, it won’t take long for McNutt to get his athletes ready to play. Once schools have reopened and the AIA has cleared teams to begin practicing, McNutt said that a month or so of conditioning and routine will get his program back to normal.