While Bethlehem Area School District has suspended its winter sports season through Jan. 11, including practices and competitions, Bethlehem Catholic High School’s girls’ basketball team is proceeding as usual.

What that means is that the Lady Hawks conducted tryouts this past Friday and Saturday after five weeks of open gym, which included strength and conditioning training.

“First and foremost our players are doing self-analysis checks at home, and we tell them if they don’t feel well to stay home,” said Becahi girls’ basketball coach Jose Medina. “When they get to practice, they enter with masks on and have their temperatures checked again.”

Medina is extremely pleased with the cooperation of the Becahi parents and players thus far.

Once inside the gym, the Lady Hawks are provided with gaiters and are situated eight to 10 feet apart. In addition, Medina keeps the doors open, including a side door that leads to the outside, for adequate ventilation.

When Medina heard that Bethlehem Area School District put its winter sports on hold, his thoughts were mixed.

“I’m big on conference unity,” Medina said. “The East Penn Conference athletic directors came up with a plan, and now that plan got nixed, but we get it, safety first in everything.”

The EPC released its girls’ basketball schedule the week of Nov. 9, following the same division guidelines as with fall sports; that is, each of the 18 teams would play teams within its county during the regular season.

Becahi, which is in the Northampton County Division, would play Freedom, Liberty, Easton, Northampton, and Nazareth three times between Dec. 15 and Feb. 9.

Becahi’s season opener is at Easton against the Red Rovers, followed by another game against Easton and two against Nazareth, which will take the Hawks to Jan. 15 when they are scheduled to play Liberty.

At that point, Liberty will have had four days to practice, and that is if Bethlehem Area School District lifts its suspension on Jan. 11.

“There are so many variables. For us, we will continue to prepare. We can only control what we can, so we’ll practice, work hard, get better, and keep our environment as safe as possible,” said Medina. “We will be ready. If we play a game, great. If not, we’ll be that much further along. We will stay ready.”