How delays due to COVID-19 are affecting Sacramento’s high school senior athletes

In spring, there was hope the COVID-19 pandemic could be contained by fall semester of the high school sports calendar, but that has not happened. High school athletes in their senior year could be losing their last year of eligibility.

In July, the California Interscholastic Federation announced fall sports would be delayed until this December or January. If the pandemic worsens, a full cancellation could be possible.

Senior year can also be a last chance for college recruitment. Many schools target athletes during their sophomore and junior years as they come up through club sports programs. But some kids take up sports later in life or suffer with injuries and need a strong senior year to convince a college to take a chance on them.

And it’s not a given there will be roster spots open for those high school seniors. With college seasons delayed and canceled, many athletes have been given another year of eligibility, freezing opportunities for younger players.

Sirr Butler is about to begin his senior year at Whitney High School. He plays cornerback for the football team in the fall and competes in the 400-meter run, long jump and triple jump for track in the spring.

He says he’s focused on getting offers for track, but he would not mind receiving one for football.

“My concern is not being able to have a season to play my sports since it’s my senior year and most likely being my last season for football,“ he said.

“I honestly don’t want it to end yet,” he continued. “There are so many things I missed out on. High school went by way too fast.”

Of course, he wants the additional exposure in case a college recruiter happens to be at a game. But there’s also the day-to-day experience of being on a team.

Asked what he’d miss most, Butler didn’t talk about Friday night lights, but rather times goofing around in the school.

“During the summer, the football team would camp out in the basketball gym and do a bunch of fun activities and games for team bonding and to make memories, which I really wish we could have done,” Butler said.

Butler will be able to compete in both football and track in the spring, if a vaccine is developed in time. If not, the CIF will likely cancel seasons altogether.

Lulu Leppek only has one sport she hopes to play. The rising senior at Rocklin High School is an outside hitter and defensive specialist for the volleyball team.

She is still in the recruiting process and weighing her options for college. Her biggest concern with the setback is being able to balance her club team with her high school season.

Club volleyball is typically played from December to May, which would coincide with high school volleyball this year.

“I love fall sports, homecoming, and I’m hoping that the spring will have some sort of normality so we can have our senior activities and graduation to provide closure on our high school years,” she said.

Even though she could be missing out on a key part of the senior year experience, Leppek says she is ready to leave high school with no regrets about the pandemic pause.

“I’m ready to move on and experience college and the next chapter of my life,” she said. “I’m thankful for the sports and activities I have experienced at Rocklin High School.”