SPLENDORA, Texas — Friday Night Lights is a Texas tradition and up in Splendora, they're not planning on letting a pandemic stop them from playing football.
But they're taking precautions.
The Splendora High Wildcats have been hitting the field for practice for a few days now. They take the field at around 6 a.m. each morning to beat the heat.
Normally, this time of year you would see dozens of football players pack the football fields across the state, but because of COVID-19 restrictions, only smaller schools are meeting up for practice. In fact, Splendora High is the only school in Montgomery County practicing.
Head coach Marcus Schulz says they're doing everything by the book -- providing masks for the athletes when they're in close proximity, taking their temperatures as they arrive and asking them a series of questions to screen for coronavirus.
Schulz said the kids get it and they enjoy being on the field.
"You know, we're just out here. How do you have fun? You know, let the kids get out here and get back to some sense of normalcy for us. And, you know, having a little bit of excitement on the football field," said Coach Schulz.
Coach Schulz is also the athletic director and said all the school's sports are changing things up to keep students and coaches safe.
Earlier this week, the volleyball team tweeted a video of "socially distanced" workouts in the gym.
Schulz said the district has also purchased and had extra items donated, like individual water jugs, to make sure kids aren't sharing equipment.