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The University of Hawaii has postponed today’s football practice and “paused” program-related activities because of COVID-19-related protocols, UH officials announced on Monday.
A UH spokesman said it has not been determined when the Rainbow Warriors will resume team activities, such as practices, weight-training sessions and conditioning drills. The break stems from a single contact-tracing situation. The spokesman said it was decided to implement the pause out of “an abundance of caution.”
Under NCAA guidelines, the Warriors have ample time to reschedule any missed practices. The NCAA permits Division I teams 15 practices during the 34 days of spring training. The Warriors’ spring-training clock started on March 25. The Warriors’ initial schedule called for practices on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays each week leading to the 15th practice on April 23.
In the meantime, school officials announced in a release, “all team meetings will be virtual and practices will be postponed for the next several days.”
In 2020, Todd Graham’s first year as UH coach, the pandemic led to the cancellation of the Warriors’ spring training. The start of training camp was delayed twice, and then abbreviated to three weeks ahead of the 2020 season opener against Fresno State. UH estimated protocols resulted in 17 weeks without in-person training ahead of the 2020 season.
The Warriors have employed extensive safety and health measures. They have not used their locker room in 13 months. The Warriors were the only Mountain West team not to cancel a football game last year because of coronavirus-related circumstances. This year, the Warriors had 10 weeks of strength/conditioning workouts without interruption in advance of spring training.
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