On Wednesday, March 25, the NSAA canceled all activities indefinitely due to the rising pandemic that is COVID-19. Due to the fact that all sports practices were canceled, coaches and athletes needed to find new ways to keep themselves in shape as their season is now over and prep the the next season.

Staying in shape for an athlete is very important as it keeps their body in top physical condition to perform the best it can. Many gyms and fields have closed due to the virus, making it even more difficult for these athletes to get their training in. This did not stop them, though. All coaches and athletes were encouraged to still find ways to work out even if they could not meet up as a team.

Boys varsity track coach Colin Johnston has his athletes on a Google Classroom, where daily workouts are posted that they would normally do on a regular day. It’s up to the athletes themselves to decide whether or not they do these workouts or not. The track team also holds time trials on what would’ve been meet days to track their progress throughout the season. Junior Tyler Matrangos, a varsity track runner, honors these takes on these workouts while also going down to the track himself whenever he can to put some extra work in. 

“This whole situation has really had an effect on not just my season but could affect my career,” Matrangos said. “It’s hard to get the attention of colleges and scouts when you can’t compete and it’s disappointing that I might not be able to compete with my friends and teammates at all this season.”

While sports like track are easier to pull off under quarantine, more team-oriented sports like soccer are finding it tough to train under the circumstances.

“There is not much we can do or tell our athletes to do other than try to stay in shape by going for a run or exercise on their own,” head varsity boys soccer coach Juan Aguirre said. “With social distancing still mandatory, we have to make sure that these kids are safe for themselves and the community. I don’t have a specific routine or workout that I require my players to do.”

Not all sports have their training facilities closed. The golf team has managed to keep their training consistent with the only thing changing is the team aspect of it.

“So far most area golf courses have remained open with some new regulations to help with social distancing,” head varsity boys golf coach Eric Little said. “The boys have been getting out to the course on their own as much as possible.  While we are certainly missing the comradery of practicing as a team, one bright spot in all of this is our sport lends itself well to good social distancing practices.”

While it is still unclear whether these teams will get a chance to continue their season or not, it’s safe to say that they will be ready for whatever comes their way. Even though we get caught up in the disappointment of having our favorite activities canceled, it’s important to realize that this is all for our safety and to eliminate this virus as soon as possible in order to ensure a safer and better environment for next season.