Unlikely Seasons Set for 2021
Schedules have been released for Pioneer sports, but competition relies on county COVID cases.
By Katherine Rowe
Schedules have been released for Pioneer sports, but competition relies on county COVID cases.
By Katherine Rowe
Athletes across the state have remained unable to participate in school-sanctioned sports as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge throughout the United States, especially in California.
The prospect of having a season looked grim as the state government and California Interscholastic Federation failed to release guidance for sports, but the most recent update has included a plan to allow athletes to compete starting Monday, Jan. 25, but the Blossom Valley Athletic League did not release all of its intended start dates until Feb. 5.
Football, girl’s volleyball, waterpolo, and cross country all have start dates set for Feb. 22 with no playoffs, but currently cross country is the only Season 1 sport being allowed to compete in the purple or widespread tier of coronavirus. Season 2 sports are supposed to begin the week of March 22.
Players are able to condition under the current purple tier for sports that are allowed under the purple and red tier, and if Santa Clara County is able to move down to red, then sports competing under the orange tier will be allowed to condition as well after Feb. 22. In an update on sports sent out by Pioneer’s athletic director, Joe Berticevich, new guidelines are explained on conditioning as a team, and new regulations to keep players safe.
“Teams will practice/condition in cohort(s). Pioneer High School’s athletic department will attempt to not exceed 25 athletes per student athlete cohort once teams are formed. All protocols remain in place with respect to face coverings and social distancing, and the weight room, locker rooms, and gym remain closed,” Berticevich said in the statement.
Cross country runner, Maya Miller, 12, is still concerned about the risks associated with sporting events, but is optimistic about the chance to compete again.
“It doesn’t seem like the whole COVID situation has improved much, and I feel like being in such a large group while everyone is gathered together would just increase the rate of people getting COVID,” Miller said. “However, it does excited me because it means that things are moving in the right direction and opportunities are beginning to open up again.”
Some parents aren’t concerned about the risks that coronavirus poses as long as teams follow the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They feel that the inability to play poses a greater threat to the health of student-athletes than the pandemic, and took to the streets as part of the “Let Them Play CA” movement which calls for the return of school sports.
Organized by Anna Given, the nine-person protest took place in front of the school on Blossom Hill Road on Friday, Jan. 14 at 4:00 p.m. and later migrated to the intersection of Meridian and Branham in front of Branham High School to merge with a larger protest taking place there.
Parent and assistant football coach Curtis Given attended the protest hoping to encourage the state to allow his sons to participate in football and wrestling this year and feels that the benefits of sports outweigh the potential risk of contracting COVID.
“Our kids aren’t getting out, they’re not playing, there’s no rhyme or reason scientifically to not be out there,” Given said. “I see what’s happening to my players, and it kills me to see these guys sitting at home, they were really positive kids that were really go-getters and now they just play video games. That to me is the worst thing that can happen.”
A University of Wisconsin study suggests that sports are not associated with a greater risk of contracting COVID-19, but researchers feel a need for larger and more extensive studies to get a better understanding of the dangers of coronavirus with sports. While this is optimistic for those hoping to play sports, the Bay Area still has limited intensive care unit capacity, even dipping below 1% on Monday, Jan. 11.
Head football coach Eric Perry is frustrated that his team has been unable to compete and is hopeful that they will be able to resume in early March according to the current BVAL schedule. While a chance to play will be beneficial, it still won’t make up for the full season and summer conditioning that was lost to COVID.
“I physically hurt for my senior guys because they’ve done so much for me, and they’re such good young men, and it just kills me that they haven’t been given the opportunity to play,” Perry said. “Just not being able to go out to practice everyday and see my guys and see the other coaches and be able to enjoy those Friday nights under the lights where everybody’s going crazy and having a great time, it, pardon my French, sucks.”
Despite the inability to hold in-person practices and workouts, the girls’ water polo team has participated in online conditioning by doing cardio workouts and practicing ball handling on Zoom calls after school during first semester and will continue this semester as they prepare for practices. Sophie Velasquez, 10, is new to the team and hopes to learn more about the sport for next year, even if she is unable to practice in the pool this year.
“I learned how to handle the ball, which has definitely prepared me for the future, I also think I’ve gotten to know who the team members are since we are all in together in the meetings,” Velasquez said.
As the current situation with the pandemic continues to fluctuate with spikes in infections, the CIF understands the frustration surrounding school sports, and encourages people to take part in safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Everyone in California wants students to be able to return to in-person learning, sports, and all other co-curricular activities that are so important for their physical and mental wellbeing,” the CIF said. “As COVID-19 transmission rates are rising significantly in California, communities across the state must continue to take measures to limit the spread of the virus. Therefore, we implore ALL Californians to wear a mask, practice social distancing, limit mixing between households, and practice all basic hygiene. This is the way to ensure the best chance for CIF competition to commence.”
More information on the new sports update can be found at https://pioneermustangathletics.com/.
The prospect of having a season looked grim as the state government and California Interscholastic Federation failed to release guidance for sports, but the most recent update has included a plan to allow athletes to compete starting Monday, Jan. 25, but the Blossom Valley Athletic League did not release all of its intended start dates until Feb. 5.
Football, girl’s volleyball, waterpolo, and cross country all have start dates set for Feb. 22 with no playoffs, but currently cross country is the only Season 1 sport being allowed to compete in the purple or widespread tier of coronavirus. Season 2 sports are supposed to begin the week of March 22.
Players are able to condition under the current purple tier for sports that are allowed under the purple and red tier, and if Santa Clara County is able to move down to red, then sports competing under the orange tier will be allowed to condition as well after Feb. 22. In an update on sports sent out by Pioneer’s athletic director, Joe Berticevich, new guidelines are explained on conditioning as a team, and new regulations to keep players safe.
“Teams will practice/condition in cohort(s). Pioneer High School’s athletic department will attempt to not exceed 25 athletes per student athlete cohort once teams are formed. All protocols remain in place with respect to face coverings and social distancing, and the weight room, locker rooms, and gym remain closed,” Berticevich said in the statement.
Cross country runner, Maya Miller, 12, is still concerned about the risks associated with sporting events, but is optimistic about the chance to compete again.
“It doesn’t seem like the whole COVID situation has improved much, and I feel like being in such a large group while everyone is gathered together would just increase the rate of people getting COVID,” Miller said. “However, it does excited me because it means that things are moving in the right direction and opportunities are beginning to open up again.”
Some parents aren’t concerned about the risks that coronavirus poses as long as teams follow the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They feel that the inability to play poses a greater threat to the health of student-athletes than the pandemic, and took to the streets as part of the “Let Them Play CA” movement which calls for the return of school sports.
Organized by Anna Given, the nine-person protest took place in front of the school on Blossom Hill Road on Friday, Jan. 14 at 4:00 p.m. and later migrated to the intersection of Meridian and Branham in front of Branham High School to merge with a larger protest taking place there.
Parent and assistant football coach Curtis Given attended the protest hoping to encourage the state to allow his sons to participate in football and wrestling this year and feels that the benefits of sports outweigh the potential risk of contracting COVID.
“Our kids aren’t getting out, they’re not playing, there’s no rhyme or reason scientifically to not be out there,” Given said. “I see what’s happening to my players, and it kills me to see these guys sitting at home, they were really positive kids that were really go-getters and now they just play video games. That to me is the worst thing that can happen.”
A University of Wisconsin study suggests that sports are not associated with a greater risk of contracting COVID-19, but researchers feel a need for larger and more extensive studies to get a better understanding of the dangers of coronavirus with sports. While this is optimistic for those hoping to play sports, the Bay Area still has limited intensive care unit capacity, even dipping below 1% on Monday, Jan. 11.
Head football coach Eric Perry is frustrated that his team has been unable to compete and is hopeful that they will be able to resume in early March according to the current BVAL schedule. While a chance to play will be beneficial, it still won’t make up for the full season and summer conditioning that was lost to COVID.
“I physically hurt for my senior guys because they’ve done so much for me, and they’re such good young men, and it just kills me that they haven’t been given the opportunity to play,” Perry said. “Just not being able to go out to practice everyday and see my guys and see the other coaches and be able to enjoy those Friday nights under the lights where everybody’s going crazy and having a great time, it, pardon my French, sucks.”
Despite the inability to hold in-person practices and workouts, the girls’ water polo team has participated in online conditioning by doing cardio workouts and practicing ball handling on Zoom calls after school during first semester and will continue this semester as they prepare for practices. Sophie Velasquez, 10, is new to the team and hopes to learn more about the sport for next year, even if she is unable to practice in the pool this year.
“I learned how to handle the ball, which has definitely prepared me for the future, I also think I’ve gotten to know who the team members are since we are all in together in the meetings,” Velasquez said.
As the current situation with the pandemic continues to fluctuate with spikes in infections, the CIF understands the frustration surrounding school sports, and encourages people to take part in safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Everyone in California wants students to be able to return to in-person learning, sports, and all other co-curricular activities that are so important for their physical and mental wellbeing,” the CIF said. “As COVID-19 transmission rates are rising significantly in California, communities across the state must continue to take measures to limit the spread of the virus. Therefore, we implore ALL Californians to wear a mask, practice social distancing, limit mixing between households, and practice all basic hygiene. This is the way to ensure the best chance for CIF competition to commence.”
More information on the new sports update can be found at https://pioneermustangathletics.com/.