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Coronavirus In Minnesota: Volleyball, Air Force Academy Classes Still On For Lily Landis While Home During Outbreak

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Lily Landis attended Minneapolis Southwest High School and played volleyball.

She earned an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy, where she is a sophomore on the team. They too sent most their students home from the Colorado campus, but that doesn't mean work in the classroom and volleyball training take a break.

"A typical day would be waking up between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Some days I'll lift before class, which starts at 7:30 p.m. and goes until about lunch time, around 12:30 p.m.," Landis said. "Then the whole wing, all 4,000 of us, will march to lunch together in our squadrons. We'll have lunch, sometimes after lunch, meetings, then it's straight to practice, maybe another lift, and then dinner as soon as we can, and back up to your dorms for homework."

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That has changed. She is back home in Minnesota, working out on her own with a program designed by their coaches and trainers.

"Our trainer has sent us some body weight workouts. Obviously, all the gyms are closed, so we're just doing to best we can. You know, body weight lunges, sprints, some squats, anything we can just to keep moving," Landis said.

She loves this sport, made it to the Olympic trials down the road in Colorado Springs.

Lily Landis
Lily Landis (credit: US Air Force Academy)

"It was awesome. Honestly, getting to train with some of the best talent in the country, and working with new girls other than the girls I see in the gym every day, and then getting to learn from Karch Kiraly is just an awesome experience," Landis said.

And, oh yeah, she is still going to class every day. She attends from her home, and they dress for it in their uniforms -- a military code in the online era that helps.

"It really helps just to get the day started, you know, get ready, put on the uniform, do your hair. It just kind of helps that routine look the same as it did when we were at the academy," Landis said.

So she keeps her schedule in a different way, and the biggest adjustment is free time.

"It's been a little tough so far. I mean, I can do my best to wake up and work out before class. Class is still the same time, so that helps. But after class ends, it's up to me, and my day is kind of some free time, which we haven't been used to there at all," Landis said.

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