LHS athletic trainer Michelle Hart-Miller and staff have been keeping athletes in shape and continuing to prepare for the possibility of a fall season throughout the summer despite the pandemic. 

“I think we are doing a great job educating our athletes on how they can improve,” Hart-Miller said. “This (opportunity) offers tremendous value to athletes.”

Hart-Miller continues to stand by her belief that despite any challenges athletes can continue to be their best by staying consistent and putting in the maximum amount of effort. 

Londonderry is one of the few towns in New Hampshire that has a lifting program running this summer. Miller and staff have been using new innovative methods to keep athletes training.

“We are using some creativity: parking lot lines, spray painted x’s with cones, track lanes, and cones designate workout spaces for the athletes,” Hart-Miller said.

Athletes and training staff are required to follow state guidelines in order to protect everyone involved in the program. 

“We are paying extra attention to cleaning equipment, masks when we can’t maintain distance, lots of hand sanitizer and emphasizing that athletes should stay home if not feeling well,” Hart-Miller said.

Trainers have created smaller groups to adhere to social distancing guidelines as well as added daily check in questions for every athlete. The staff was determined to keep training as productive as possible and not let the virus have an affect on the quality of training. Senior EJ Donovan dedicates his summer to preparing for the 2020 football season.

“Covid guidelines have definitely affected training,” Donovan said. “ Usually the football team splits into different teams and we play games… this year we haven’t had many game days.”

Hart-Miller has focused on creating a safe environment for athletes and changing the program to fit state guidelines.

“The guidelines haven’t affected anything other than extra work from a programming and coaching standpoint,” Hart-Miller said. “With the time away from any structured training, we are focusing on restoring movement patterns and ramping up intensity in terms of load and volume. Basically we shifted to an early off-season format.”

Hart-Miller payed extra attention to educating athletes about how each workout will be helping them achieve their goals. 

“The trainers have definitely helped us keep a consistent schedule,” Donovan said. “I’m in the gym at the same time every morning.”

Hart-Miller and the athletic training staff have been giving athletes consistent training during this uncertain time.

“Educating athletes just takes the mindset of coaching ability, effort, and consistency,” Hart-Miller said.