Monday was the first night for Tucumcari High boys and girls basketball teams. Coach John Span laid out the game plan for potential junior varsity and varsity teams. Players, he said, were expected to be at practice, be committed to the practices and team and to sign a contract formalizing that commitment. Span challenged the younger and the older. "There's no reason not to put a freshman on the starting team, if he's got the better skills," Span said. Then it was conditioning time: stretches to warm-up, push-ups to build muscles, and more. There were also sprints up and down the court for aerobic training, that had some players running to the water fountain. As a player runs up and down the court, it's estimated that he or she will run two to five miles during an average basketball game.