By: Dominick McCormack
Many high school athletes depend on sports as an option to pay for their college. Here’s how Redwood athletes are dealing with the recruitment process during the Corona Virus pandemic, along with the possibility of not having a season.
One of Redwood’s athletes, Ethan Garcia, ’21, has already committed to Long Beach University as a pitcher for baseball. Instead of focusing on the recruitment process he has the privilege to work on perfecting his mechanics, “I’ve been hitting the gym really hard, and pitching as much as possible.” Because Garcia has already missed his junior season he says, he will be very disappointed if he didn’t get to senior season.
Lynice Luna, ’21, is another example of a Redwood athlete that’s being affected by COVID-19 in her recruiting process. She explains that she has a few schools trying to recruit her, but she’s worried there might not be a season to wrestle in. In hopes of having a senior season
Lynice says, “everyday I take about an hour or two practicing certain moves.” She feels sad that this is possibly her last year to wrestle and she may not even have a season.
A junior football player at Redwood affected by the pandemic is Marcus Correia, ’22.
Correia states, “it’s hard trying to lift when everything is closed and it sucks that there are no camps during this time.” In response he’s been working on speed, footwork, and watching film. When thinking about the possibility of not playing football this year, Marcus feels the most for the seniors.
Kiley Langford, ’22, is a three sport athlete at Redwood. Kiley feels junior year is the most important year for the recruitment process and the possibility of not playing is scary. Although high school sports are set back, some club sports are not. Langford still has the opportunity to have some time on the softball field with her team. Langford deals with this times by being positive and having hope.
High School sports are a place were kids come together for many different reasons. A big one being the hopes of getting a scholarship and having some or most of their school paid for. Redwood athletes, as well as athletes across America are greatly being affected by the Coronavirus. Many of Redwood’s athletes are still training and preparing themselves in hopes of competing this year.