By Thomas Wong, Staff Writer
The future of in person football practice and games is unclear, since CIF canceled fall championships on Dec. 1. CIF will not give any updates until Jan. 19 but still plans to have a short season in 2021 to make up for the cancellations. This uncertainty is especially harsh to the seniors on the team, whose final season is now in jeopardy.
“I was way more devastated than some of the other players,” senior Logan Hotchkiss said. “I didn’t play last year and this was the last year I could actually play. I was so hyped getting ready for May; I could finally get into the class again. Then, COVID-19 hit and I was heartbroken.”
The players are unable to meet in person or practice as frequently. Instead, they meet on Zoom, where the team divides into breakout rooms by position. Instead of practicing together on the field, they have to practice alone and see their teammates only on Mondays and Wednesdays. This transition is especially difficult for those looking forward to a final year of football.
“Last year, the team was really together and we all wanted to win the league title,” senior Connor Castro said. “Because this is my final year, I really wanted to be able to win a title with the team. It’s disheartening to see the season keep getting moved back, knowing that I won’t be able to get that chance as a leader.”
Some veterans are stepping up to help the newer players by improving their stances and teaching them how to read blocks to avoid worrying about these fundamentals later on. They also emphasize mental preparedness for the players. Some feel that a key problem last season was that the team didn’t know their roles well enough and they planned on addressing that early this year.
Even with the uncertainty of a renewed season, players are still hopeful for a good year. Practicing from home forces them to adapt to the unexpected and to stay focused on the positive side of things.
“Not all these events are terrible,” Castro said. “A good thing is that you can see everything from a different standpoint. Our year is trying not to just focus on ourselves as much; we’re focusing on the younger guys. They know that we’re not perfect. As mentors, we make mistakes too. Everyone wants to learn and everyone’s adapting to the situation without being stubborn.”