‘This is where the best memories are made.’ High school sports return to Merced County
Merced High senior Emily Trejo was back in the environment she loves, one that she missed tremendously.
She was back in the pool.
Trejo’s favorite outfit includes a swimsuit, a swim cap and goggles. When she’s not racing in between the lane lines, she loves being the pool deck, rooting on her teammates.
High school athletes in Merced County were finally able to close up their laptops and emerge from their homes as sports made its long awaited return this past week.
Tennis courts were full on Thursday as girls tennis action began in the Central California Conference and on Friday swimmers dove in the pool for swim meets across the county.
For the first time in 11 months, athletes were competing again.
“It feels good to be in this environment, cheering on each other, reunited with my teammates, back doing what I love,” Trejo said. “This is really exciting.”
Friday’s scene at the Roddy Svendsen Aquatic Center at Atwater High had been missing since March.
The swim meet between Merced and Atwater may have looked a little different with parents and fans sitting outside in the parking lot, peering through the fence to watch the races. There was a staging area taped off for parents to enter and get a closer look when their child was racing in the pool.
The two coaching staffs sat across the pool from each other at separate tables with every coach wearing a facemask.
However, some of that energy you see at every swim meet was there with teammates gathered on the pool deck to root on their friends.
Back with teammates
“Stuff like this is what I missed most,” Trejo said. “This is where we all connect. This is where the best memories are made when we’re cheering each other on.”
The four sports beginning competition are cross country, girls golf, swimming and girls tennis. All four sports are permitted to be played while the county is currently in the purple tier, which is the state’s most restrictive designation for reopening under its COVID-19 plan, denoting “widespread risk” of viral transmission.
El Capitan senior tennis player Riddhi Parikh was happy to be back on the court with her teammates on Thursday when the Gauchos hosted Merced.
“I think the opportunity to be with my teammates is really important,” Parikh said. “It’s a chance to socialize a little bit. We have only been able to see each other online for a long time. The social aspect was really missing. To get out here, getting some fresh air is really good.”
The long wait
Before starting practices a few weeks ago, Parikh says it’s been about 15 months since she’s been with her team since their season ended in November of 2019.
“I missed it so much,” she said. “Being away for 15 months has been very difficult for me because I love tennis. I’ve been playing since I was young.”
This week girls golf gets started with matches on Monday and cross country will get going on Wednesday.
“I think everyone is super excited to get some exercise,” said El Capitan tennis coach Don Bragonier. “For some of them, it’s been 15 months since they played. They’re working really hard. Tennis is a sport where you need to play a lot. I think they’re doing well and will get better as the year goes along.”
COVID-19 restrictions
Like swimming, the other sports will look different as they play during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The county Department of Public Health has been very instrumental in providing information, guidance and safety/health protocols for all of our students and athletes, coaches, staff,” said Atwater athletic director Scott Wine. “The goal is to help students participate safely in available activities, following all of the approved guidance, protocols and mandates.”
Doubles partners in tennis have the option of playing with a face mask. During the match on Thursday, players put on their face masks to talk to coaches.
The spectators are limited to very few or none at the events. In many cases parents have to watch from outside the venue.
To help limit the stress on traveling the four sports are scheduled on separate days with golf on Mondays, tennis on Tuesday and Thursdays, cross country on Wednesdays and swimming on Fridays.
Cross County
All meets are at school sites. There will be no off-campus locations like Applegate Park.
There will be two simultaneous meets at different locations, to reduce number of participants at each location. For example on Wednesday Golden Valley will be competing against Merced and El Capitan at the same meet hosted by Golden Valley.
There will be staging areas to keep teams and individuals separated, giving them room to space out. There will also be staggered start lines, chutes and 6-feet distancing between teams and individual lanes.
Swimming
There are staging areas for the two teams at the meets.
Swimmers who finish events will be given time to exit the pool and deck area before the next event swimmers rotate in and get on the starting blocks.
All participants, teams and spectators are separated into their own areas with separate entrances/exits. Spectators may (if allowed), depending on site, wait outside the facility and be called in to observe individual races, then return to staging area.
Golf
There will be staggered practice times and locations (on campus/at course), reducing the numbers at the courses at one time. Face masks and distancing required of athletes.
Tennis
There will be separate tennis balls by team, no touch (use racket for pickup). Spectators may watch along the fence line, family pods. They must wear face masks and maintain social distancing.
Doubles players may wear masks.
Athletes and coaches may not congregate before/during/after matches.
Despite all the restrictions and guidelines. the athletes and coaches are willing to do what they have to do to make it work.
“We’re used to our daily routine,” Trejo said. “This is different, it’s an adjustment. We’re going to do our best. This is my senior year. I want to make every swim practice and meet count.”
