COVID-19 Puts Spring Sports’ Seasons in a Standstill

Cameron+Fox+%2812%29+and+the+San+Juan+Hills+track+team+came+together+at+Sendero+Park+to+work+on+their+sprints+in+a+relay+race.+During+spring+break%2C+instead+of+coaches%2C+team+captains+in+track+for+distance%2C+jumps%2C+and+sprints%2C+organized+workouts+in+order+to+keep+the+team+in+shape+for+the+return+of+the+season.

Jack O'Connor

Cameron Fox (12) and the San Juan Hills track team came together at Sendero Park to work on their sprints in a relay race. During spring break, instead of coaches, team captains in track for distance, jumps, and sprints, organized workouts in order to keep the team in shape for the return of the season.

Jack O'Connor, Photo Editor
March 16, 2020

For many students, sports are not just an extracurricular activity they do after school to stay in shape. Sports help them make lifelong friends and give them an opportunity to earn a scholarship for college. And for those students, CUSD’s decision to cancel or postpone all spring sports seasons early was devastating.

Most student athletes have been training and practicing for the start of the season for two or three months, some even longer. For all of their hard work and training to be essentially thrown away for something that they had no control over felt cruel to these athletes.

“It just felt unfair for all my teammates who have been working so hard all season to just have that all vanish,” said varsity lacrosse player and junior Brandon McGeagh.

“I mean it’s just kind of a bummer because we have been practicing and conditioning since  August and now we don’t even get to show what we’ve been doing in league,” said varsity softball player and junior Kylie Jewett.

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It’s incredibly disappointing to put four years of hard work into a sport and then set goals for myself this year that I might not ever get to achieve now

— Eric Fritz

The cancellation or delaying of the season hits seniors especially hard. In high school sports, senior year is the last year before college, so playing less games and not being able to practice as much decreases their chances of getting college scholarships.

“It’s incredibly disappointing to put four years of hard work into a sport and then set goals for myself this year that I might not ever get to achieve,” said senior varsity track athlete Eric Fritz.

For seniors, this year also marks the last time that they’ll ever get to compete with the teammates that they have been with for four years.

“Ever since freshman year I have been looking forward to swimming as a senior, including having a senior night, being team captain, and giving my speech at the swim banquet. It sucks because all of that has been all taken away from me,” said senior varsity swim athlete Maya Prokopowicz.

Unfortunately for these athletes, league games and meets are not set to return until at least April 6th, so until that day comes they will just have to prepare in any way they can for their next opportunity to compete.