By STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The lights will still be bright and the music will be blaring, but the atmosphere for the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic will be a bit different for the fifth-annual Hutchinson Community College home cross country meet on Friday at Fun Valley.
Because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and concerns the safety of the student athletes and public in general, fans will not be allowed to enter the Fun Valley Sports Complex for the event.
“We are excited to have this meet for our student athletes” Blue Dragon Athletic Director Josh Gooch said. “But we are going to air on the side of caution right now and not allow fans into the event site. We feel like this is the best thing we can do right now for the safety of all.”
Fans who still want to watch the Masterson Twilight Classic have a couple of options.
Fans will be allowed to line up outside the perimeter fence in the parking lot to the west of the complex. The women will run past there three times and the men’s race will make four passes.
Both race finishes will be streamed live via Facebook Live on the Blue Dragon Facebook page.
Other safety measures being taken are:
+ All athletes will have temperature checks before boarding their buses and when they arrive at Fun Valley.
+ Starting area will be widened with spread out teams.
+ Team camps will be designated and socially distanced in the outfields of two of the main softball fields closest to the finish line.
+ All event workers will wear masks and those working the finish chute will also be wearing gloves.
“We have to remember that we are in the middle of a pandemic right now,” sixth-year Blue Dragon head coach Justin Riggs said. “We are constantly reminding our athletes to do the right things right now. It’s added work, but it’s necessary if we want to continue to compete.”
Eleven men’s teams and 10 women’s teams are scheduled to compete at the 2020 Masterson Twilight Classic. Cloud County is the defending men’s team champion and Cowley is the defending women’s champion.