CARBONDALE — Carbondale girls tennis head coach Mike Butler said he had never seen his players smiling and happy about having to run at practice, until this week.

That happens when your season is threatened by a pandemic.

Butler joked he had two new best friends: his mask and his new thermometer. It’s part of the new reality facing coaches and players. Butler has to take his players’ temperatures before practice and make sure each player is feeling well. It beats the alternative of not being able to play.

After not being able to practice together as a group over the summer, and not knowing until a couple of weeks ago if there would even be a shot at a season, the Terriers girls tennis team is ecstatic about practice.

Yes, we’re talking about practice.

With only one senior on the roster, Butler’s youthful squad is sure to experience some growing pains this year. The coach and the players will gladly embrace their learning curve.

It beats the alternative.