L.A. Unified School District to return to sports conditioning the week of March 1

Austin Beutner, the superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School District, announced Monday that sports conditioning will return to campuses the week of March 1.

Conditioning began in November, then was halted in early December because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

As with the past practices, students and coaches are expected to need to be tested weekly.

Conditioning does not mean Beutner will clear the way for a return to high school sports competition. He has said in the past that if it is not safe enough to be in a classroom, it is not safe enough to participate in a sports competition. It remains to be seen if he will change his philosophy.

But conditioning is a must first step toward any return to sports for LAUSD athletes.