“It’s been a long time since I’ve been that excited for the first day of practice.”

Minnesota Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve was finally able to exhale at the conclusion of her team’s first full practice of 2020 on Friday afternoon in Bradenton, Fla. Roughly two-and-a-half months after WNBA training camps were scheduled to open, teams were finally given the go-ahead to begin preparations this week for the pandemic-shortened 22-game season tipping off  July 25 at IMG Academy.

Entering her 11th season at the helm in Minnesota, there’s a different type of enthusiasm radiating from Reeve in 2020.

“Typically, the first day of practice, you can’t wait for it to get over; to get to the second day,” Reeve said after the practice. “[Friday’s practice] was the first day I was really, really looking forward to with this group. We spent so much time together in the offseason over Zoom. It was hard, and I just think this group handled it so well.

“I just couldn’t wait to get on the court with them for the first time, and I think they felt that way too. The energy was palpable.”

Reeve wasn’t alone in feeling that way. Returning from a knee injury, veteran wing Karima Christmas-Kelly couldn’t wait for 2020 to begin. The postponement of the season due to the spread of COVID-19 only added to the anticipation.

“I had a little bit of nerves at the beginning of practice, just because I was so excited to get back out here,” Christmas-Kelly admitted. “It was definitely fun, and hopefully [we] just keep on going up and up until we start the season off.”

As a veteran leader and co-captain of the Lynx entering 2020, Christmas-Kelly echoed the notion that this year’s squad has a more youthful, energetic vibe permeating throughout the locker room. The positive spirit will be needed in a hectic training camp compounded by the already challenging circumstance of a shortened single-site season.

“It’s high energy, and I love that,” Christmas-Kelly said. “When everybody’s doing great things, everybody’s going to get rewarded for that. We’re always trying to keep each other up, especially during this time because we’re all in the same boat, just trying to get back out here and get the lungs going.”

The Lynx resume Training Camp throughout the weekend before transitioning into two-a-days during next week.