Monday’s announcement that nonessential businesses and schools in New York state would remain closed until at least April 29 keeps student-athletes and their teams at home with no end in sight.

Unfortunately it seems more and more likely that those seasons may never resume.

That hasn’t stopped several teams from working on team camaraderie from the safe distance of their individual homes with the use of technology — namely kids’ cellphones.

Softball teams from Panama and Ellicottville, Frewsburg’s baseball team and the Clymer/Sherman/Panama track & field team are just a few locally that have joined the viral social media craze of “playing catch” with teammates while remaining socially distanced.

Usually, each participating member has an off-camera family member toss them a ball, which they catch, and then throw out of the picture. The individual videos are then pieced together, usually with a song playing in the background, making it appear that the entire team is playing catch.

Many college teams began taking part in the craze in March when their seasons were abruptly stopped just weeks after they began due to the pandemic.

Panama head coach Tammy Hosier posted the Panthers’ video on her Twitter feed @hosier_tammy on March 30, noting that it was put together by junior pitcher Ashlyn Harvey. The video begins at Panama’s home field, Deb Palmer Softball Field, and quickly pans to assistant coach Jerry Ireland saying, “Ladies, what time is it? I think it’s Panthers softball time. Hosier, let’s get going!” Hosier then starts the video with a ground ball before several team members and coaches throw the ball.

Van Halen’s “Panama” is playing in the background throughout the video. The Panthers certainly seemed on their way to a competitive season this spring, returning their ace pitcher Harvey after winning the Section VI championship last year.

On Thursday, Frewsburg head coach opened his team’s video posted @FrewsburgBaseb1 saying: “It’s baseball season. I just want to play catch with my Bears. I miss you guys.”

John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” plays as Grann virtually throws the ball to senior pitcher Aaron Hair — who committed to NCAA Division II Mercyhurst University earlier this year — and he pitches from the mound to his dad, assistant coach Bill Hair, with Matt Hair and their dog Max watching. The ball is then thrown around to several other members of the Bears and their coaches before it returns to Grann who ends the video saying: “Hey guys, thanks for having that catch. I love ya. Take care, be well and stay healthy. Go Bears.”

The Bears lost to Falconer in the Section VI Class C title game last spring at Diethrick Park, and seemed to have as good of a shot as any team of returning this season with Hair and junior Ryan Schrecengost at the top of the pitching staff.

Ellicottville’s softball team also posted one to @EllicottvilleA on March 26 with “Centerfield” playing over the video. The first player pulls a softball out of a refrigerator before teammates play catch from an all-terrain vehicle, a dirt bike, a trampoline and even one player’s roof during the video.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama became the first local track & field team to enter the mix Monday when it posted the “Relay Challenge” to its Twitter feed @CSPrunners. Sherman junior John Swabik opens the video with a back flip before hurling a javelin. Babies, shot puts, goats, children, dogs, logs, shoes and several other items are virtually passed to teammates in the video, which closes with a message: “Thank you to everyone who took a moment out of their day to provide us with a reason to smile. You all are AWESOME!”

The Wolfpack had several individuals that figured to make deep postseason runs this spring considering seniors Cameron Barmore and Kylie Schnars as well Swabik all competed at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships last year.