Dear Athletes and Parents,
WOW! I guess the question is “Are we having fun YET”!!! They always say that life is 10% about what happens to you and 90%, about how you react to it!
Our team has had several discussions about Air It Out for 2020 and here are a few of our conclusions and a plan of ACTION! This email may be a little lengthy, but we want to be as thorough as possible. Please read it to the end. Thanks!
We all can be in agreement that 2020 is not going to be the same kind of year as others on ANY front, and AIO is no exception. We are still committed to having a few sessions of Air It Out. One of our missions is to give as many young athletes as possible the opportunity to get quality instruction and training in fundamentals of throwing and catching the football.
1. Please understand that we take this virus situation very seriously and the safety of all of us, athletes, parents, and staff, is a priority. As camp time approaches, if you have been exposed or feel symptoms within 72 hours of camp time, please do not attend the camp. We will have a plan in place to try to assure everyone’s safety. Although we cannot assure safety 100%, we will all be owning our own decisions to attend, including our staff. We do, however, feel good about hosting the camps in Abilene and we are looking forward to it.
2. We also believe that we can’t live in fear. We really believe that is where Satan, and maybe our own government want us to live. The Bible tells us over and over “Do not fear”, “Do not be afraid”, and “Do not lose heart”! We have decided to hang our hat on these words!
3. The UIL has all school facilities shut down right now, and that does not appear to be coming to an end any time soon. They are hoping for July, but June seems to be overly optimistic. We have already had some school districts cancel all activities through June and those who haven’t yet are sure to follow suit (most likely).
4. We have made a decision to control our own destiny, so to speak. We have access to a super nice private facility in Abilene.
5. We have decided to hold three sessions of AIO in Abilene in the month of June. All three sessions will be held at The Fieldhouse, 1609 Cottonwood, Abilene, TX.
Here is how it is going to work!!
1. The camp dates will look like this: June 8-9, June 22-23, and June 24-25.
2. June 8-9 is the original date for the Abilene session. If you are signed up for that camp, you do not need to do anything.
3. June 22-23 is the original date for the Amarillo camp. Although, the date is the same for this camp, the camp will be held in Abilene at The Fieldhouse. We are moving all of the campers signed up for Austin and Dallas camps to this date as well. AMARILLO, AUSTIN, AND DALLAS.
4. June 24-25 is the original date for the Lubbock camp. Although, the date is the same for this camp, the camp will be held in Abilene at The Fieldhouse. We are moving all of the campers signed up for the San Antonio and South Metroplex and Houston camps to this date as well. LUBBOCK, SAN ANTONIO, SOUTH METROPLEX, HOUSTON.
5. Our reasons for these specific changes:
A. We have one (1) full length football field to work on at the Fieldhouse. So we have to spread the numbers evenly between the three sessions to avoid space issues.
B. We also have to spread our numbers evenly so we can properly Social Distance (ugh) and other guidelines that we may need to do to comply with per State or Local gathering mandates.
C. We would ask that everyone attend the camp designated for them. IF these dates just absolutely will not work for your family, we will allow you to attend one of the other camp dates.
6. We hope all of you who have registered for a camp this summer will come to Abilene and spend a couple of days training. If you should choose not to participate we will be disappointed, but we will understand. If you have made a deposit or paid in full and do not attend a camp this summer, your credit card will be refunded.
7. Running and lifting are essential to your athletic well being. Please don’t show up to this camp or any other event and not be ready to go. This will help you avoid injury and help you battle the heat and other obstacles. Hydrate your body properly starting now. Please don’t wait until a day or two before camp to start drinking water.
8. We will make the changes outlined above. I am going to include my personal email and, stepping out on a limb, I am going to include my personal cell phone number. If you are not going to attend, please let me know through 1. Email 2. Text or 3. Phone call (last resort please). Please make sure to include the full name of the camper and other pertinent information which includes town, grade, camp originally signed up for, etc. My email is airitout1990@gmail.com. My cell is 325-665-8942.
9. There may be some of your other teammates that are QB’S or REC/TE/RB type guys that are looking for a place to improve. This could be an answer for a lot of guys on your team!! Please direct them to www.airitout.org to register.
I know there will be questions, and we will try to answer all of them in a timely manner.
Thank you for understanding our position and giving us a chance to serve you and your family.
After reading all of the information, please do not feel that you have to make a decision TODAY. If you plan to attend the camp, there is NO NEED for you to contact us. On the other hand, if you are NOT going to attend, please let us know ASAP. We have to make plans for many things prior to camp day, so letting us know if you WON’T attend is important.
We understand none of this is ideal, but we are exited to have camps and appreciate all of you and your understanding and help.
May God Bless You All,
Alan Wartes
