Cleveland practicing ahead of football season

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- The Cleveland High School football team is preparing for the upcoming.

Students resumed hybrid learning, allowing them to participate in sports.

Cleveland was among the football teams that started hybrid, and will continue to practice in small pods for the next two weeks.

The defending state champs will eventually move to full-contact practices.

"We’re excited to move into it, man, our kids really are. We’re gonna be in helmet and shoulder pads even though there’s not a lot of contact, we can still have but it feels real finally, feels like things are starting to move back in the direction," said coach Heath Ridenhour. ""We still got to do our part to keep COVID out of the program, and keep us alive and moving. It’s a big task ahead of us, but we’re excited for the opportunity to get a try.