Due to the coronavirus, spring sport athletes and coaches are missing part of their seasons. For seniors and coaches in their last years, this would have been their final season.
“I miss playing my sport, which is volleyball, because I was so close with my whole team… we looked at each other as family,” said Kailin Silbert, a freshman who plays club volleyball.
Seniors are missing out on their final sports seasons, as well as graduation, saying goodbye to classmates, senior photos, and other experiences. This could reduce the amount of time they have to learn and prepare for college tryouts.
The decision to call off school sporting events was made as soon as the Centers for Disease Control released a guideline to not allow events that more than 100 people would attend. That guideline was eventually lowered to 50 people, then ten people, then no gatherings at all.
A day after school sports were canceled, Cave Creek schools were closed for two weeks. That period has since been extended through the school year, and applies to all schools in Arizona.
The NBA, NHL, PGA Tour, MLS, and Major League Baseball have suspended their seasons. Also, the NCAA cancelled all of its championships. Even the Olympics were postponed until 2021.
“I think that major sporting events were cancelled too soon because around that time [early March] this virus wasn’t that bad,” Silbert said.
The cancellation of sporting events has also affected tryout dates for sports such as pom and cheer. For example, clinic days and tryouts have been postponed, while tryout packets and forms are now digital.
School sports affected by the cancellations are baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse, and track & field.
Not just school athletes are missing their seasons. Club sports are affected as well because virtually everything has been shut down.
Major sports leagues are considering playing games again, with one twist: they won’t be played with fans. This is expected to last until a treatment or vaccine for the virus has been approved by the FDA.
“I think playing a game without fans could be a good way to get back to… sports,” Silbert said.
School sports are expected to resume in August, along with the 2020-21 school year.