Sycamore welcomes return to normalcy as it prepares for fall season

SYCAMORE – Summer practices. No masks.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, but things are inching more toward a pre-pandemic state for the Sycamore football team.

“Everything is starting to feel back to normal,” senior wide receiver Xavier Gagnepain said. “The whole state is coming back in. You can start going places without your mask if you have your vaccine. But it’s starting to look a lot more normal and regular.”

The Spartans went right to work after the school year ended, Gagnepain said.

“Honestly, I’m gonna say it’s a lot like heaven,” Gagnepain said. “There’s a lot of restrictions removed. It’s great, getting to play football without having to wear a mask.”

The team has been hitting the field and the weight room since June 7, going three days a week.

Last summer, there were no workouts. There were limited contact days in the fall ahead of what turned into an abbreviated six-game schedule for the Spartans, during which they went 6-0.

“It’s been great to get work in,” senior defensive back Brody Armstrong said. “We’re finally back as a team. Last year we had a couple fall workouts then played in the spring. We didn’t have a lot of meshing. I feel like this year is going to be better. We have a lot more chemistry, and we’re getting a lot more work in.”

Coach Joe Ryan said things still feel different. He said there’s a lot more overlap with other sports, and the Spartans haven’t really had a full team on hand for a workout yet.

“There’s still a lot going on, and everybody’s trying to fit a lot of things in a small window,” Ryan said. “But it’s good to be able to get out here and have masks off and be able to play football. It’s getting closer and closer.”

Ryan said that given the experience of the Spartans, he’s not worried too much about that yet. Sycamore has eight starters back on defense and six to eight starters back on offense depending on the formation.

Given that the season ended only a few months ago, the team has retained a lot of information.

“We didn’t play that long ago,” Ryan said. “The recall we have is phenomenal because we have so many kids that are returning it’s not even a reteach type deal. It’s just getting back into that rhythm.”