High School Sports in LA Allowed to Resume Outdoors

By Julio Tejada, Editorial Intern

High schools in Los Angeles finally got their green light to resume after being shut down for almost  a year.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced March 3, that outdoor sports can begin again under new state and local guidance.

California high school sports was nonexistent because of the high number of COVID-19 cases throughout the state. Los Angeles County was hit hard by the pandemic and it was the main reason for the stoppage. With the number of COVID-19 cases dropping LAUSD was able to come to this decision.

Roger Cosgrove, the athletic director at Port of Los Angeles High School, talked about how they have not had any sports since March of 2020. He said the students were bummed but they will not return with any sports until it is safe and this announcement will be the first step towards bringing interscholastic sports back.

With many fall sports cancelled and hanging in the balance, this new announcement brings hope for spring sports. According to coaches and athletic directors throughout the Harbor Area there is a different update each day 

“I am staying positive and optimistic during this time, as I’m continuously “clearing” student-athletes and coaches to be eligible when it’s safe and approved to participate in athletics,” San Pedro High School athletic director Anthony Rogosic said. “I am communicating with administration, coaches, students, and parents of any news or updates that occur with regards to [California Interscholastic Federation-Los Angeles City Section] athletics.” 

Coaches and athletic directors will have to try and salvage their respective seasons. This has affected athletic directors, coaches, personnel, parents but mostly the student athletes.

Donley Minor, the varsity head basketball coach at Verbum Dei High School in South Los Angeles talked about how difficult it has been for him personally and for his players.

“It has been terrible,” Minor said. “I am big on practice and I don’t take them lightly. A lot of time has been missed out on because of the shut down. Even if we do have a spur of the moment season, players will be out of shape, not everyone has a basketball court or even a basketball because the school provides all that.” 

Minor believes that they should just cancel the season and let his players play in club sports and try to start things over in the summer. Minor is in his second year at the helm and he feels as though he is starting from square one again.

Verbum Dei High School is a private school but their athletic program is part of CIF so they compete with LAUSD schools. CIF and the different school districts ultimately made their decisions to return to play but basketball is an indoor sport so Minor and his players might have to keep waiting.

“I definitely miss the grind I miss watching my guys develop, I miss seeing the success they have,” Minor said.  

It has been difficult for Minor to get his players together for approved practices because some parents might not let the students participate because of the pandemic.

Minor believes they should just cancel the season and just let the players play in independent sports organizations like Amatuer Athletic Union. For some students and parents they are trying to find other ways to stay active and compete in their respective sport.

Joshua Nishinaka, a 15-year-old sophomore from Franklin High School in Los Angeles, talked about how he has found other outlets to play baseball.

“I have been seeking out sports outside of school,” Joshua said. “I compete every Saturday in a league and I take batting lessons throughout the week. The one thing I miss is playing with my classmates and friends I’ve made over the years.”

Many students are looking towards club sports right now and Joshua talked about how parents aren’t allowed to sit in the stands at these games and they check the athlete’s temperatures before hitting the field. He also added that he and his teammates wear masks in the dugout.

He has been good at school, but online learning is something he has had to get used to. 

“I am missing the social interactions, teacher and classmates,” Joshua said. 

His parents are trying to condition him to get back into a school setting because eventually he will have to go back into a classroom setting. They are hoping for not only that but for their son to compete athletically in high school. His father Mark Nishinaka has been doing his part to make sure his son is staying active and competing through the high school sports shutdown.

Mark continued by saying that high school athletes are not just playing with each other, but they are also going to school together and growing up together from grade level. He describes high school sports as a journey you don’t know where you’re going to end up in the season. There are championships and it’s fun to watch the journey.

“Using my spare time, I’ve actually been practicing with him and going out almost every day to do batting practice and hitting ground balls to him,” Mr. Nishinaka said. “I feel sorry for Joshua because high school sports are a big deal, I played high school sports and right now he won’t have those memories.”