Multi-sport athletes could be forced to make a choice with seasons postponed

The CIF's decision to postpone the fall sports season until January led to a domino effect. Three high school sports seasons for the 2020-2021 school year have now been condensed to two, putting multi-sport athletes in a tough position. For many, this means having to choose between sports.

“I was really bummed out to be honest, because I really wanted to do my three sports,” said Val Gutierrez, a three-sport athlete at Shadow Hills High School. “Obviously it was a difficult choice to make, but I just decided to make sure I would keep on going with things that make me the happiest.”

The Shadow Hills junior normally plays basketball in the winter and runs track in the spring. Now, both of those sports are in the spring. 

“I feel really bad that they had to cut a whole season off, cause obviously every sport should be given the opportunity to shine its best,” Gutierrez said.

Technically, there could be a way for athletes to play two sports in one season. With approval of both coaches, that is.

((Richie DeTamble - Shadow Hills Cross Country, Track & Field Coach))

“CIF rules is only 18 hours per week, so between the two sports, and contests, you can only be out there for 18 hours, so we would have to be really smart about things and compromise,” said Richie DeTamble, Shadow Hills Cross Country and Track & Field Coach.

With more sports in the same season, the schedule of facilities and buses is a big question. Coach DeTamble said he believes some days teams will have to find other places to practice.

“We just need to find a way to make it work, have a good attitude, have a positive attitude and just be thankful if we have a season,” DeTamble said.

He said that’s the biggest concern, whether or not sports will even happen this year due to coronavirus.

“How is the bus situation going to be? Are we going to be able to take a full team on a bus or are we going to have to socially distance on the bus and take two buses? There’s a lot of questions. A lot more questions than there are answers,” DeTamble said.

DeTamble will be coaching two sports at the same time due to the overlap of the seasons under the revised schedule.

This is even a question at the Division I college level. Ohio State incoming freshmen Akemi Von Scherr said she is also wondering how the schedule will work if the Cross Country season is moved to the spring and overlaps the Track & Field season.