Last year, something happened that has not happened in over 100 years. Schools were shut down and all extracurricular activities and sports were canceled for the year. The Coronavirus Pandemic put a strain on people all around the world as it destroyed what was considered to be “normal.” Spring sports including Track and Field, Boy’s Golf and Girl’s Tennis were all canceled less than two weeks into practices. Despite the canceled season, students still have the opportunity to get a varsity letter. Schools are allowing students who letter this spring, to earn a double letter, which basically means that they still get recognized for the letter that should have been received the previous year.

AHS Senior, Alec Garcia, is a long distance runner for the Bulldog Track Team. Garcia mentioned that when they found out their season and school were canceled, he became “sad and depressed” because he had been training for the season for nearly a year. Garcia pushes himself year-round by competing in cross country in the fall, attending offseason workouts and running in track in the spring. 

As a senior myself, I was sad to hear that my junior season of spring sports was going to be canceled. It was my first year playing tennis, so I missed out on a potential letter, along with a year of experience. Entering my first and final season, I did a lot of offseason work to try to get the fundamentals down, but I am still very nervous for my first match. Knowing that this season is my last, makes me sad but also excited. Like many others however, I am worried about the possibility of the season being canceled again this year because of rising covid cases. 

AHS tennis coach, Scott Mills, has been working hard with this year’s girls tennis team in order to make up for time that was lost last year. In early December, he began to host weekly off season workouts at the Alliance Recreation Center. In addition to that, on warmer days, he would offer to work on fundamentals at the courts.

AHS and the SPUD would like to wish all student athlete participants the best of luck!