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by BAILEE TUCKER
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — The biggest snow storm of the year so far has arrived and with it comes adjustments to everyday life. One of them being high school sporting events being canceled. Nitro boys basketball coach Patrick Jones said his team has been out enjoying the weather.
"I mean teenage kids right now they're sled riding and all that fun stuff so they're keeping themselves entertained right now,” he said.
Despite all the fun, Coach Jones is worried about how all of this time will affect his team in their upcoming games.
"I think it hurts us more than anything because you know going into New Years, we were in really good condition and so taking about 18 days off, is two weeks almost,” he said.
Other coaches are thinking the same things, like Charleston Catholic’s coach Hunter Moals.
"I felt like we were getting better and then it kind of hurts us when you go four or five days off, you know, get to practice, stay in shape, you know, work on what you've been working on,” Morals said.
But this break could be well deserved. According to Mental Health First Aid, 35% of student athletes suffer from a mental health crisis. George Washington coach Rick Greene said these teens have a lot on their plates.
"There's a lot of social media pressure. Everybody thinks they're gonna be a D1 scholarship athlete, so they get a lot of pressure at home in different groups and different gurus host all these shootouts and showcases. So it's a lot of pressure on them that past generations didn't have to face as much,” he explained.
With the popularity of club sports, many athletes seldom get a break. This snowy weather has given them an excuse to do so.
"Once we can get back in the gym and start playing, they will definitely be maybe not physically fresh 'cause I think we'll lose a lot of conditioning, but the positive would be too, they'll be very mentally fresh and ready to play and wanna compete,” Greene said.