Football continues to practice despite severe weather

On Oct. 21, Minnesota received a record-breaking snowfall with estimates of six inches in the Minnetonka area. In the midst of this blizzard, players took to the football field as if it was a regular practice.

Most players arrived at 3:00 p.m. and kept warm in the 31-degree weather and snow by sheltering in the shed.

Before leaving, John DenHartog, head coach, ran through the plays they would be working on that day. Although there were several players missing due to the harsh weather conditions, players were able to fill positions accordingly in order to keep similar strategies and plays once they got onto the field.

At 3:45 p.m. the players ran out and jogged their lap before breaking into groups, offense and defense accordingly, to run plays and have a customary practice. 

J.T. Zell, senior, worked on offense as quarterback and captain for the varsity team. 

“Practice out in the snow and cold is really fun, and everyone was having a good time. Everyone knew it was a memory and we all went out and had a blast. I think it just goes to show how grateful everyone was just to be able to play,” Zell said.

And Zell’s right. Just a few weeks before there were lots of unknowns. Whether they would be able to have a season with coronavirus, how many games they would play, and what their schedule would look like. 

“My favorite part of our team is that even though all this crazy unknown that we are living through every day, everyone on the team is making the best out of it. You can see that everyone is very thankful for the opportunity to play and compete,” Zell said.

With a home game tonight at 7:30 p.m against Forest Lake and an overall record of 1-1, there is excitement brewing on the team. Zell’s goals are clear: to win, have fun, and change the culture of Hopkins for the better.

After playing through freezing weather and heavy snowfall, it is clear the entire team has similar goals for the rest of the season.