By Emma Gonosey
Sports Editor
As the spring athletics season begins, all 28 Costa sports are in season.
According to a newsletter sent out by Principal Dr. Ben Dale on Feb. 26, both the California Department of Public Health (CADPH) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) have released new athletic guidelines, as the COVID-19 case rate has dropped below 14 cases per 100,000 people. After hearing this news, Costa and the MBX Foundation began working to run full practices, host competitions and bring sports back to school.
“When we first started off, it was really hard to not be able to play with contact, since [lacrosse] is a contact sport,” varsity lacrosse player and junior Jack Storer said. “Just recently we were able to play contact again, which was awesome. The change of having to socially distance while being a very social person with people I haven’t seen in a while has been hard, but that’s just what it takes in order to [be back] on the field.”
Costa sports have set new guidelines that players and coaches have to follow during full-team practices and games, including mandatory mask-wearing for both players and coaches, daily RUVNA check-ins and events without spectators. While there are still strict guidelines, according to Storer, teams have enjoyed a sense of normalcy and have loved the chance to play and practice together again.
“With new games, pitchers will have to sit in bullpens while starting players are allowed in the dugout. Players who are not in the starting lineup will have to spread out throughout the batting cages and along the left field line,” varsity baseball player and junior Ben Gneiser says. “I’m just glad that we get to have a season at all, and I think we should do whatever is necessary to get back to playing full-time.”
According to Gneiser, Costa athletes and coaches are hopeful for the future of their sports and are excited to play and compete with their teams again after a long break. While nobody truly knows what is to come in the future in regards to COVID-19, the Costa sports community is hopeful about the future of team sports, according to both Storer and Gneiser.
“Full practices have been fun, and my goal is to create a team culture with JV and varsity, having them meet each other and interact [in] the limited manner we have has been exciting,” varsity girls tennis coach Allen Yap said. “I am truly hoping to be able to integrate the girls more as we strive to be one united team. The older girls have so much valuable insight [that] I’d love for them to be able to share with the freshmen”
According to Yap, all of the girls on the tennis team have been more than excited to be able to socialize with each other once again. The tennis team has been able to communicate and share knowledge with one another, thanks to the updated COVID-19 guidelines that have recently been put in place.
“It’s been great to socialize with my [teammates] during this pandemic,” said junior Haily Huynh. “I haven’t been able to [play] with a team since 2019, so it’s so great to compete in a team setting. I love [being back with] my team so much.”
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