High school coaches view swine flu as threat

By MICHAEL CARVELL

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Miller Grove's Jasper Jewell pretty much sums up the approach of the majority of the state's high school football coaches toward the threat of the swine flu virus.

"We're very aware of it, and we're taking precautions, just as we do every year with staph infections, the regular flu and other viruses," Jewell said. "But we're not making a big deal about the swine flu publicly because we don't want to alarm the parents."

However, it's not like coaches are keeping secrets. The swine flu has been in the media spotlight over the past six months.

The latest scare is the outbreak of swine flu at summer camps. In Georgia, Camp Coleman of Cleveland had its first session canceled because of sick counselors, according to the New York Times. Some camps are sending kids home as soon as they develop a fever, while most are isolating them in an infirmary or holding room for the seven-day isolation period.

The AP reported that more than 50 facilities in 20 states have closed early or been canceled.

Because youngsters and teenagers stay in such close proximity of each other at camps and may not have as strong as an immune system as adults, they are more susceptible to the spread of the illness. A few overlooked sick players can sideline an entire team from workouts.

Football camps are one of the most popular and oldest traditions in the sport, which kicks off its first official practices in Georgia on Aug. 1. For example, Miller Grove will travel two hours south for a four-day camp later this week at Camp Hill, Alabama.

"The people running the camp, they keep the place very clean," Jewell said. "The [swine flu] is something we've talked about in detail, along with all the other things going around.

"We're going to do a good job making sure the place is as clean as we possibly can keep it."

The Georgia High School Association has been monitoring the swine flu situation, but does not plan on ordering any preventive measures for the preseason. If there is an outbreak during the season, however, the state's governing body will likely take action.

"The swine flu virus is not a major concern of the GHSA at this time," GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin said. "The local school systems should make decisions about their practices. It doesn't involve the GHSA at all.

"If it's the playoffs or regular season, we might get involved. If it's practices or going to camp, those are voluntary activities for the local school district to decide."

High school students are one of the first groups approved to receive the swine flu vaccine by the CDC, but it will not become available until October.

The Lovett School officials are highly sensitive to the swine flu and other contagious viruses, and it stems from a bad experience several years ago. The private school had camp at North Carolina's Mars Hill College and had a couple of players catch strep throat. The sick youngsters were kept away from the team.

"They didn't have fun, but we learned a lot from the experience," Lovett coach Mike Muschamp said. "We stay on campus now so we don't have to 'quarantine' kids. We can just have their parents pick them up."

The Lions will spend five straight nights on campus, beginning on Sunday, sleeping on pads or inflatable mattresses in the gym. The staff will take the temperature of each player as he reports. If there is any sign of trouble, Muschamp said the player will be sent home for further observation.

"The big fear we have right now is kids coming to camp from vacations or trips and the exposure that they have while away," Muschamp said. "If they don't show symptoms before they get to camp, we could have a real problem.

"As they go through camp and their bodies break down they become more susceptible to whatever bug may be out there."

Staying at home for overnight camp is a growing trend this year, largely due to the troubled economy. Lovejoy canceled its trip because of low funds and will be staying on campus. Coach Al Hughes is not specifically worried about the swine flu but all viruses.

"We sanitize all areas, including the locker rooms and weight room," he said. "We wash all clothes in MRSA-protective ingredients. We emphasize to players not to drink after one another, not to put their hands in their mouth or eyes, and to wash hands regularly."

What are some other schools doing? Kell coach Derek Cook says he will encourage players to wash hands and shower frequently at the team's overnight camp. Riverwood kicks off the preseason with a practice shortly after midnight on Friday, with the players sleeping in the gym.

"We had the gym cleaned thoroughly in advance," Riverwood's Robert Ingram said. "We do other things, such as wipe down the weight equipment a lot and clean our water coolers with bleach."

Central-Carrollton coach Mike Ledford had three air-purifying machines purchased for the locker room while Sonoraville coach Chuck King plans to rip out the carpet in the locker room and wash it on a daily basis. Mt. Zion-Jonesboro coach Jarrett Laws has scheduled a seminar on sanitary environments with his squad.

"So far my players have been healthy and no one has been sick ... knock on wood," Druid Hills coach Kip Hall said.