High school senior student-athletes, administration and coaches share their experiences navigating a global pandemic while aiming to return to the playing fields.
By JOEY VERGILIS
EL NUEVO SOL
“I was pretty paranoid about COVID but the few weeks of lockdown really opened my eyes on how I see life, I wasn’t able to see my friends, be around my coaches, teachers or teammates. We didn’t know really anything at the start of lockdown but we did know we couldn’t be at school and no sports, around that time is when I started to see life differently,” said Jonathan Macias, senior football player at Westlake High School.
California was one of the 13 states to delay the start of competitive practices and games for high school athletes until after the new year because of the state’s health and safety protocols due to COVID-19.
Other high school athletes who compete in football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and baseball had to wait until California COVID-19 cases dropped below required thresholds to allow those sports to return in March of 2021. Upon their return, some athletes hadn’t competed or practiced in over 400 days. There was plenty of red tape to cut through and the return tested the resolve and patience of administrators, coaches and players.
When shutdowns and lockdowns began in March of 2020, nobody could forecast a realistic timetable for high school athletics to return. Living through this pandemic required solid Wi-Fi for remote learning, creative thinking and above all else, patience.
“For the past year we have been in the what if game. Therefore, it has made it hard to plan for anything. Over the past month or so we have opened up sports and returned to having kids back on campus and being able to compete, all while following all state and county guidelines,” said Brad Katz, Assistant Principal of Athletics for Westlake High School.
Faculty and coaches used this time away from sports to provide support from a distance for students and athletes. Westlake high running backs coach Ellis Green saw his role change during the pandemic.
“I became more than just a coach. A lot of what we have done during the pandemic had nothing to do with sports, it’s been a lot of working with athletes on what’s going on in their life and helping them adjust to remote learning.”
Student athletes who play football were making alternative plans during the time away from the filed by finding jobs or playing for club teams that allowed them to produce tape and highlights for those dreaming of playing college football. Others opted to wait until they could participate with their high school teams and used the time away to train on their own. Westlake Senior football standout Ja’seem Reed was a player who declined the option to play for club football teams even though he says he was contacted to play. Reed cited traveling during a pandemic and being away from his two brothers and mom as reasons why he declined to play. In January of 2021, Reed committed to play football for the University of San Diego next fall. Fortunately for Reed, he impressed college scouts his Junior season prior to the pandemic. Reed acknowledges how the pandemic impacted him and how he stayed fit while waiting to return to the gridiron.
“It impacted me a lot because it took a lot of training to stay in shape and losing certain football opportunities to show myself for more schools who expressed interest in me after my junior season. I’m blessed the University of San Diego had confidence in me, I know teammates who are less fortunate and needed football opportunities to impress college coaches,” said Reed, a graduating senior.
Some could say the pandemic taught life lessons, lessons the typical high school senior can now reflect on and use to their advantage.
“The pandemic made me realize how badly I want my goals, and what I’m willing to do to achieve them,” said Upton.
Upton spent most of his time away from his classmates and teammates working out daily, often alone, using whatever resources he had to give himself a competitive advantage on the diamond. He also started working to earn and save money for his future. Joining the workforce was a decision many seniors faced and it fast-tracked them to adulthood.
“The pandemic impacted me a lot because it took a lot of training to stay in shape and I lost certain football opportunities to show myself for film. This whole thing made me realize even though I’m 18 I better start preparing for life after football so that’s why I got a job during the pandemic and started learning how to manage my money, something I had no idea about before,” said Macias.
A movement called Let them Play, which is a Facebook page with over 50,000 members, wrote letters and held press conferences directed at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and sought out to work with Health Secretary Mark Ghaly to carve out a path to play according to a SpectrumNews1 story by Kristin Lago and Zack Tawatri. While this type of public pressure potently moved the needle, significantly more substantial factors were the science and adjusted case rate numbers and counties moving to less restrictive tiers. In March of 2021, the long wait was over for California high school athletes. The news that high school sports were returning spread like wildfire.
“My coach texted me and told me we’re back, it was such a relief to hear. Mostly everything I do revolves around baseball. It has a positive impact and I love playing with my friends, it makes me happy playing,” said Westlake High senior baseball player Shea Upton.
Upton said his long-term aspirations of wanting to play in the MLB only strengthened during the pandemic as he was forced to work out solo, which reenforced his big-league dreams. Little by little outdoor and indoor high school sports returned. We are still in a pandemic, still following health and safety protocols. Are these players concerned about their safety? Of the three senior student athletes interviewed, all three answered no. They trust the measures the school district and county have put in place so they can play the games they love. The coaches and faculty are excited as well.
“Just seeing kids back with their friends and able to practice and compete has been great. Also, the coaches who love what they do, it has been great to see them back working with their respective teams,” Said Katz.
Coach Green knows what these kids had to endure; rewarding them for their patience is fulfilling.
“I’m excited to see kids get back out and compete. They have put in a ton of work and now they get a chance to it all payoff,” said the football coach.
There are certain events that define a high school senior’s last year: prom, senior seasons in all sports, being the leaders on their high school campus, and most importantly graduation. While some of those events are not possible this year, graduating is, and so is playing sports one last time before college. The high school experience is represented in numerous ways: the forming of meaningful relationships, overcoming obstacles and unforgettable memories. Jonathan Macias credits football for keeping him on the right path, enabling lifelong bonds and sees a condensed season as an opportunity to play the game that’s helped him develop discipline and responsibility.
“Football has always kept me away from being around the wrong crowd of guys and showed my life lessons. I’m grateful to be back with my friends and getting a chance to make some memories before I graduate this June. Even though we aren’t getting a full season we are getting a chance to experience high school football one last time,” said Macias.
Tags: Brad Katz COVID-19 Ellis Green Gavin Newsome Ja'seem Reed Jonathan Macias Kristin Lago Mark Ghaly Mitch Stephens Shea Upton Westlake High School Zack Tawatri
