By: Kiley Langford
California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) released a sports schedule as of July attempting to save all three sports seasons. This left three-sport athletes contemplating which sports they will choose to play or whether they will try to juggle multiple sports at once.
CIF has decided to push back sports to December. As of now, all fall sport athletes will begin practicing December 14th. Since the season has been pushed back nearly 6 months, winter and spring sports have been combined into one season.
Although this may not affect most athletes, three-sport athletes are left in a tough situation. With the unfortunate change, the fall season will remain somewhat normal.
But, the winter/ spring season will be interesting, to say the least. COVID-19 has affected normality and has caused society to restructure everything. CIF has attempted to accommodate athletes in the best way they see fit.
Are these accommodations going to work?
Payton Lapp ‘22 who plays water polo, soccer, and track and field still remains excited she will get a junior season. However, she has her reservations on the time water polo will occur. Lapp is worried water polo will take place “in the coldest time of the year.” Water polo normally ends in November dodging the cold weather, but now fall athletes may be forced to play in the midst of the cold.
Reid Terry ‘21 and Christian Roldan ‘21 both play varsity football, soccer, and track and field. Unfortunately, for Terry and Roldan, this is their senior year, and this is not what they expected their senior seasons to look like. As for many seniors, they are devastated by the way the 2020-2021 school year has turned out. However, Terry and Roldan both appreciate the accommodations CIF is trying to make and they understand CIF is trying to do everything they can, in the best interests of the athletes.
Krissy Hetherington ‘21, another phenomenal three-sport athlete, runs cross country and track and field and plays basketball. Being a senior Krissy is, too, devastated with the way 2020 has turned out.
Hetherington is “bummed because it’s her senior season” and she was planning on “going out with a bang”.
CIF is allowing all athletes the option to play two sports during this upcoming season. Although athletes are given the choice to choose to juggle both the practices and games of two entirely different sports, it will be very interesting to see which athletes chose what.
Hetherington has decided to stick to all three sports regardless of the circumstances. She has been surrounded by sports since she was little.
Hetherington says, “my whole life has been surrounded by sports since I was young, and not having that aspect of my life right now has just been really weird and confusing.”
On the other hand, Lapp has decided that juggling two sports at Redwood on top of her club soccer team will be too overwhelming for her. Lapp has chosen to play soccer for Redwood instead of running track and field.
Lapp believes juggling three sports would “not work” and she would be “all over the place”. Although she wishes she could play both soccer and run track and field, Lapp acknowledges “you have to make decisions in life” and this is a decision she is making for her own good.
CJ Shin ‘22 plays football, basketball, and runs track and field. Given the circumstances, Shin is happy with the way CIF has planned sports for this upcoming sports year. Shin has decided he will play both basketball and run track at the same time. He says, “it’s going to be challenging but at least we get to play the sports we want to play.” Shin is especially grateful he doesn’t have to “miss out” on any sport or season.
Every three-sport athlete is left with a choice. Should they challenge themselves and play two sports during one season or focus on one sport? Three-sport athletes already are amazing individuals. Throughout the entire school year, they manage school, homework, and sports.