With the country’s current pandemic, the landscape of a possible fall sports season certainly will change, and summer leagues could be in doubt.

In some ways, it may initiate a throwback, old-school approach.

Depending on the duration of the outbreak, football teams may be forced to have limited practice time may have their heat acclimatization period in jeopardy if they want to keep the Aug. 28 kickoff intact.

However, the late spring and summer workouts and passing camps certainly appear to likely surface. The outbreak also has canceled the summer baseball seasons, programs and some pools.

The apparent revamped lifestyle already has conjured thoughts of yesteryear when a program didn’t initiate a nearly year-around schedule, and AAU programs were an extreme honor and privilege.

“When you think about what could happen, it takes you back to the 1980s and 70s,” said Northampton head football coach Kyle Haas. “There really wasn’t any coaching during the summer, and you began in mid-August. If we do play football, we’ll have to be prepared for a short time before the season starts.

“Growing up in Allentown, there was only one baseball league, and there weren’t all of these classifications in sports. When I was at Rowan in college, you normally didn’t have contact with the college during the offseason. AAU was just getting started then.”

Catasauqua earlier closed it pool for the summer and their summer playground program could be shut down or strict social distancing guidelines will have to be met. Their long-standing summer basketball leagues in the town and in North Catty won’t begin until July at the earliest. Catty’s annual Tournament of Champions (TOC) basketball tournament, held in either late July or early August, may be placed on hold.

“It’s hard to believe, but we may not see anything during the summer,” said Eric Snyder, who runs the summer program and TOC. “I do have some plans in mind for a tournament depending on the situation.

“It will be hard to do a (Tournament of Champions) without any leagues. There have been so many athletes who have come through the summer program, and it has created some good memories for them.

“It will be ashamed if it is canceled.”

Snyder, the longtime boys’ basketball coach, also recalled when basketball practice was the official start of the new season, and he didn’t have contact with his players during summer leagues. He noted the beginnings of AAU.

“Back then, you had to be born in Catty, work in Catty, or live in Catty to play in the North Catty league,” he stated. “AAU was a real privilege. (Former player and football coach) Tom Falzone and (former player) Jerome Maiatico played on AAU teams, but there weren’t many back then.

“We didn’t have all of the workouts and fall leagues when I played and a good chunk of my early coaching career. You played during the summer and really didn’t pick up a ball until November.

“At the Catty playground during the summer, you would form your team and play until you lost. Those games would go on for hours.”

Northampton head boys’ basketball coach Coy Stampone played at Bangor High School, and he spent his summers playing in the town’s summer league.

With his team playing into the state tournament and recently ending their season, Stampone didn’t have his traditional session of ending his time with the graduating seniors and starting a period with the incoming ones.

Yet, he welcomed the change of pace.

“The seniors still have to return their clothing, and we really didn’t have our usual time with them,” said Stampone. “It looks like the summer leagues around the Valley could be in trouble. They have taken the rims down at Cedar Beach.

“To me, there really isn’t enough time to recharge your batteries. This is refreshing for a change instead of going at it 10 months out of the year.’

Stampone remembered playing at the Bangor Park during the summer and the players policing themselves.

“We didn’t see (head coach) Bill Pensyl during the summer and the seniors basically ran the team,” noted Stampone. “You were set in a certain direction and you did a lot of your own workouts.

“AAU was a privilege back then and they were elite teams. It’s totally different today. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but things won’t be the same leading up to the season.”