It’s a small step towards normalcy for the boys of the James I. O’Neill High School football team in Highland Falls.

Two days a week before practice the team gets tested for COVID-19 in their high school auditorium. It's a safety measure that brings everyone a little peace of mind.

What You Need To Know

  • Horizon Medical Group offers free student-athlete COVID-19 testing programs at schools in Tuxedo, Highland Falls, and Newburgh

  • At the James I. O'Neill High School in Highland Falls they've completed 1000 tests since the program started on February 1

  • They've had only one positive case since the program began

  • The program is open to high-risk sports teams like cheer, football, and volleyball

"This gives us and the parents much greater confidence to participate," said Head Football Coach Dave Moskowitz. "We feel great for our kids, especially our seniors, who have lost so much in their high school career, and now they're getting an opportunity to do something they really love to do."

Horizon Medical Group offers the free testing to schools for high risk sports teams like football, cheer, and volleyball. Horizon staff rapid test each player and deliver results in just 15 minutes. If the test comes back positive, the student is tested again with a PCR test. If there's a double positive, that student is quarantined and the sport is shut down for 10 days.

Since the testing program started here on February 1, they’ve completed about 1,000 tests and have had only one positive case.

"This is not a required protocol for higher risk sports, but some of the athletic associations around the country have determined that this is one of the surveillance techniques that will protect our student-athletes and therefore our school community and the community at large," said Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District superintendent Dr. Frank Sheboy.

Horizon also operates school sports testing programs for Tuxedo's and Newburgh’s school district. It may be a small inconvenience, but it has major benefits for the student-athletes yearning to get back on the field.

"They are just so happy to be out there and once we get on the field, it's football as it’s always been," said Coach Moskowitz.