Are sports coming back to the ranch? 

By: Valentine Toscano 
​El Rodeo Staff Writer 

All El Rancho sports have been pushed back due to COVID-19 for the 2020/2021 school year. The school board and CIF have rolled out a schedule for Volleyball, Football, Cross Country, Cheer, and Waterpolo. According to CIF these sports will be eligible to start practicing in early to late December. Currently, athletes will have to wait till then, and with the holidays coming we'll see how it all turns out.

​We asked a couple of questions to some of the school athletes on how COVID-19 has impacted them and their sport. 

Delbert Charles a senior on the football team states “It’s hard staying motivated during these bad times... it's hard building chemistry with teammates due to the distance which is vital in a football team”. When asked if he cares about getting COVID-19 while playing Charles says “I don’t care, I love the game too much and I don’t want to have already played my last game without knowing”. 

When asked the same question senior volleyball player Alyssa Garcia insisted “I think being safe should be everyone’s priority right now especially because it’s so contagious and you don’t only put yourself at risk but also the people you live or interact with”. 

​Cross Country runner Ashley Garcia said “I would keep running if the crowds are smaller. It would be more competitive and push you to try even harder. But there is a huge risk not only for me but for the family that lives in my household. Due to that, I would not risk unless I have permission”. 

​When asked if fans attending events mattered or not Cheer flyer Elyssa Robles said ”I do care that the fans are there because I am so used to performing with them and I want my family to be able to go and watch me...when they yell back and cheer for your team it makes you perform even stronger”. When asked about what the most challenging part about all of this Robles discussed “It is hard to stay motivated and work out. I think without the coaches telling me to do it and seeing others around me working out it just makes me less motivated.” 
 
Delbert Charles also shared his view on possibly not having a season at all “there is no real guarantee that we will play and it seems like quarantine keeps getting extended, it’s hard to be hopeful for a season”. This makes multiple athletes weary as the days pass.


 When the athletes were asked if coaches have talked to them about a start date all have answered no, but all of the sports have been having zoom meetings and doing workouts consistently ever since the summer and beginning of school. 

Hopefully, sports will return in time for these athletes to show off their talents on the field.