Irene Throws a Curve to Fall Teams

Summer vacation means everything to kids and teenagers, like riding your bike with friends, staying up late, and most importantly, no school.

But while gave Baltimore County students two extra days of summer vacation, coaches—and many student athletes—fretted about trying to prepare for the start of the fall sports season.

With 65 Baltimore County schools without power, Superintendent Joe A. Hairston had little choice but to give students an extended summer vacation.

Surprisingly, Facebook went wild with student athletes denouncing the administration's decision.

“No school tomorrow :( ," posted Gurvir Singh, a senior football player at “That means no practice, and we need to represent for our home opener against Digital Harbor on Friday.”

Anytime schools are closed, athletic practices are not allowed.

“We run a Wing-T offense and we really need to get the reps in,” said . “With the small number of kids we have on the team, we have a lot that play both offense and defense, and it really puts us behind the 8-ball.”

However, the Pointers can rely on three-year starting quarterback Justin Gensicki to run that offense.

“I feel really comfortable with this offense because I've run it since rec league,” said Gensicki. "But we run a lot of misdirection on the line and with a lot of new guys up front, you want to have as much practice as possible.”

Coaches and athletes waited with anticipation on Tuesday for the call from Hairston, who gave them the good news that they could get back to the practice field Wednesday.

Coaches, while disappointed about missing practice time, at least understood Baltimore County's decision to suspend the first two days of school.

“I think the county administration did a good job making quick and decisive decisions,” said Sparrows Point teacher and J.V. football coach Mike Whisner. “I didn't have power at my house in Bowleys Quarters, so I took my family to a hotel.”

The J.V. Pointers had a much-anticipated scrimmage against Milford Mill Wednesday.

"This scrimmage is important for us," said Whisner. "We don't have a game this week, so we really had to get it in." 

Meanwhile, one local team had another obstacle.

The Sparrows Point boys soccer team had to practice without its longtime head coach George Bischoff, a BGE employee who kept working Wednesday afternoon to restore power to customers.

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