Written by Carter Cox (Sports Editor)
High Schools in Santa Cruz county have started in-person sports again. To prepare for a sports season that might not happen. On October 19th, SLV sports were initially planned to start for the athletes at SLV. There has been a delay though and it is unknown when the new start date will be for SLV sports. Some SLV athletes are discouraged from this since it could be that sports don’t happen in a while. But in the midst of this we can’t let this stop us from training from sports. Even if we can’t do it in person. We can do personal workouts.
First, like I stated earlier, the start for SLV sports has been postponed until further notice. Even though the start for it is postponed, the athletic director thinks we will be allowed to start soon. It was postponed because SLVHS still has some things that they have to plan out about the schedule of it. Other things too, to make sure the athletes are safe. Here is what the athletic director said about it: “We are very close. There are a few things that need to be done that just take a bit of time and we can’t do anything to speed up the process. We are behind where I thought we would be but it is not anyone’s fault and we are doing everything we can to get this done.”
The athletic director wants to make it a reality so that the athletes can be able to train but in a safe way. Right now though coaches are trying to make the groups of sixteen with fifteen athletes and the one coach. To be able to make a schedule and to see what athletes want to do. The sports groups can only meet from Monday to Thursday for one hour at a time to be able to ensure the safety of the athletes. The plan is to make it so that the people that you are in group with are the only people that you are in contact with when you’re playing sports.
Second, some of the athletes and coaches since the sports haven’t started back up yet. The coaches and athletes are meeting on zoom, giving their athletes workouts on email, while others workout together while staying six feet apart and having masks. Very few sports since the start day has been postponed are meetings in person to do it. Some groups meet in person. The groups that do meet in-person follow the strict guidelines of wearing a mask and staying six feet apart. There are very few people at the groups and they try to make it that way to make everyone safe. In the emails the coaches email the athletes. The athletes then do the workouts on their own time to get in condition. The groups that meet on zoom workout together. Many athletes had mixed feelings about the zoom meeting idea and doing a coach workout that the coach sent them. Regardless of that though they are still glad they are getting in good shape.
Third, the SLV athletes are discouraged by the start time postponed but many athletes feel there’s still hope for it to start soon. Here are some of the SLV athletes’ opinions about the upcoming sports practices at SLV: “I’m glad that they’re starting back up. It’s been way too long since I’ve started a sport.” SLV sports practices haven’t happened for almost seven months now. The athletes are happy to hear it is starting back up since it gives a sense of going back to normal life. It will also get them in shape for the potential sports season this year. “I am happy to hear sports are going to come back. I think that it would be great to get to do sports again. It’s been so long since they have started up and it will be excellent.” Many are optimistic about it but there are many precautions that are going to need to be taken. The SLV athletes understand it but at the same time it still feels strange doing this because there has never been something like this for the SLV athletes.
The precautions that are going to have to be taken when they start back up is wearing a mask, making sure everyone is in their cohort group, and last making sure no one has physical contact with each other. The coaches have the job of making sure everyone is doing the right thing and they also make sure each item is sanitized before. It is encouraged that people only do one of the sports so that they won’t widen their circle. To protect everyone make sure you follow these rules and at the same time enjoy each moment that you have during this. Even though these are challenging times we can’t give up hope.
The Claw 