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A COVID-19 outbreak has shut down the football program at Desert Vista High School until Aug. 9, after officials determined up to 105 players may have been exposed to the virus.
The team was scheduled to begin practices in helmets on Monday along with other big schools across the state.
Megan Sterling, spokesperson for the Tempe Union High School District, confirmed potentially 105 players in the program may have been exposed to the virus, forcing the shutdown.
Both varsity and junior varsity teams at the Ahwatukee school have been affected by the pause, she said.
“This follows the guidance from the AIA for positive cases on an athletic team,” Sterling said in an email. “The health and safety of our students is always on the top of our minds for us.
“The goal is for the team to continue to be ready for the season and to have a great year.”
The Thunder, which are set to open the season under new coach Ty Wisdom, will start with the rest of the big schools on Monday when they are in helmets for the first time to begin preparations for the Sept. 2 opener. Desert Vista opens against Gilbert Perry. The team is opening on a Thursday night, because Perry coach Preston Jones wants to be able to attend Mesa Red Mountain’s Sept. 3 opener at home because there will be a field dedication in honor of his father, Jim Jones, that Friday night. Preston played football for his father at Red Mountain.
“The AIA guidelines recommend that when a team has more than two positive cases that the team should consider halting team activities for eight days,” Tempe Union district Athletic Director David Huffine said in an email.
“Desert Vista administration has done a great job with their contact tracing and out of an abundance of caution we stopped all football activities for this week so that on the first official day of practice next Monday, August, 9th, the team on all three levels can begin normally.
“DV is looking forward to a great season under coach Ty Wisdom and their first game at Perry.”
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