More weary but still enthused, Farmington girls take nothing for granted

Julia Paduano smiled and giggled as she pointed to Kennedy Alves, her partner for a juggling drill on the soccer field. Anna Urbach broke out in laughter, saying "I can't get out of the pool" at the end of a three-hour swimming session that started at 6 a.m. Monday.

Plenty of enthusiasm and tired bodies highlighted the start of summer training for athletes and coaches of the Farmington High School girls' teams Monday at Dodge Middle School.

"It was exciting to get back with my teammates and see everybody again," said Paduano, a senior-to-be who missed the track season when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down spring sports. "It was weird how everything ended."

Teammate Bailey McCuddin had to sing a little louder while making eye contact to get Paduano's attention. They are usually near one another on the field but spent the morning in separate 22-player pods. The practice session consisted of more individual and small group technical work.

"You did some epic coaching today," McCuddin told coach Aaron Johnson, the only person on the field wearing a mask, at the end of the one-hour practice.

Until Monday's organized workouts, McCuddin, also a member of the gymnastics and golf teams, said she sometimes practiced three times a day. "I had so much free time I didn't know what to do with myself," she said.

Urbach, who is also on the track team, tried to stay in shape with dry land workouts.

Teammate Rachel Lentsch had already been working out for three weeks with the Tiger Sharks Swim Club.

"Those practices are only an hour, so this was a lot longer," Lentsch said. "It was a little tougher."

Kerrigan Merricks didn't mind the tough workout. She was in the lane next to Urbach and Lentsch due to each lane being restricted to four swimmers.