With the uncertainty of how sports can continue throughout the pandemic, Lindenwood is taking many precautions with their sports teams.

Combining the complications of wearing masks and social distancing, some sports teams are struggling to make their practices effective. One of Lindenwood’s dance teams, the Lion Line, is trying to make the best of their time together and their practices.

The Lion Line Dance Team usually practices four times a week. During the school week, they would practice three times, three hours for each practice, and then have an additional four hour practice on Sunday. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Lion Line is only able to practice three times a week, and only for one hour and 45 minutes per practice. These restrictions caused their practice time to go from 13 hours a week to just around five hours.

For a team that is hoping to be a top contender at Universal Dance Association’s College Dance Team Nationals come beginning of 2021, having weekly practice time be cut in more than half makes the goal much more difficult to achieve.

One sophomore on the Lion Line Dance Team is Lacey Swanson. She has expressed her concerns and hopeful wishes for her team regarding practicing during a pandemic. Swanson states that wearing a face mask at practice is “really hard”.

As expected, there are some limitations when it comes to athletes practicing in a face mask.

“[The face masks don’t] permit us to do our workouts as hard as we should be because it is hard to breathe,” Swanson said.

Social distancing also adds to the difficulties of practicing.

“As a dance team, to have to socially distance makes it nearly impossible for us to actually do our routines or learn our routines because we can’t be in formation,” Swanson said.

Like other sports, the dance team will have to continue to be creative in how to make their practices effective and beneficial to all team members as they face more obstacles through the build-up of their season.