Lexi Carmack | Reporter

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Gyms are closed, seasons are cancelled, and Avon High School students are forced to rethink their workout routines.

Junior Jaz Peterson’s gym has closed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and her workout routine has been turned upside down. Peterson is on the Unified Track Team.

“If it weren’t for quarantine, I would always go to the YMCA gym to work out and lift weights,” Peterson said.

Peterson has adapted to quarantine and has been able to figure out ways to stay active, however.

“Now, I’m doing body weight workouts because I don’t have the weights that the gym has, and I have done online workout videos,” Peterson said. “I do like working out from home because there is no one there to compare yourself to.”

Other students, like sophomore Lauren Fitch, have had their seasons cancelled. Fitch runs track at the high school and plays soccer with Indy Premier in the spring, but her coaches are finding a way to keep their athletes practicing.

“Now, my coaches have created online workouts and Zoom team meetings,” Fitch said. “It has helped us communicate about workouts and just to get together as a team again.”

Junior Ally Katterheinrich, who plays soccer for Avon High School in the fall, says her coaches are also working around the situation as best as possible.

“We do workouts in the spring for soccer, but those have been cancelled as well, so now our coaches send out workouts to do from home, but it is different because now I have to take the responsibility to do it,” Katterheinrich said.

Fitch also agrees that working out from home takes motivation, as athletes can’t just go to an organized practice with their team and their coach to hold them accountable.

“It’s definitely harder to get motivated when you aren’t required to do the workouts and don’t have teammates relying on you,” Fitch said. “It has made me more self-motivated and take things into my own hands.”

“Now, I have nothing to look forward to, like going to Florida or prom,” Katterheinrich said. “But I can be motivated by doing things like running and walking outside a lot, taking bike rides, and doing videos on YouTube.”

Working out at home is different than working out on a soccer field, running on a track, or going to the gym, but in a stressful time where staying home is a necessity, it can help the feeling of restlessness.

“Working out is a good way to pass the time and still feel productive when you can’t do much else. I do enjoy the routine and consistency of working out,” Fitch said.

Katterheinrich has also seen the benefits of staying active during a time when many are forced to remain in one place.

“I feel good after working out, and I like how my workouts can be on my own schedule, yet effective,” Katterheinrich said.