Basketball will return next week with limited practices for high schools in Illinois, many hope this will be the proverbial breaking of the seal to bring back sports in the state that have had a moratorium on them since before Christmas.

Clinton High School girls basketball coach Josh Williams is excited to get back with his team recognizing they will continue to deal with the challenges of contact tracing and subsequent quarantine issues. 

According to Coach Williams, with a young team and new kids in the program, they need that practice time. He somewhat anticipated the winds of change as tiers and phases began to be adjusted in Illinois.

Dealing with the challenges of multi-sport athletes will come into play as girl's volleyball will also be restarting their practices. Coach Williams says those will be challenges they'll have to deal with as they come. He says it will be about doing what is best for each individual. 

Coach Williams indicates they will ease into their practices and get kids back into the swing of their schedule. He looks forward to the days of Monday through Saturday practices with games twice a week.

With practices being limited contact and the girls getting back for the first time in months, Coach Williams says they will probably take a slower approach. He reemphasizes his gratitude that they are finally back to playing basketball again.