In the middle of last spring, Cypress College was underway and there was no thought of sports or school being taken away as swift and abruptly as it did in the Spring 2020 semester.
With the Fall 2020 semester starting just last week, the question now is what happens to sports this school year?
The California Community College Athletic Association, known as the CCCAA, has moved all fall sports into the spring. With practices not allowed to start until January, the student athletes are still preparing for their season. With online Zoom workouts and a possible return to in-person strength and conditioning classes on campus not only are the players ready to get back, the coaches and administration are as well.
Unfortunately, this year all sports will only be playing 70% of their usual schedule. Fall sports will now be competing through the months of January – April and spring sports will be playing from April – late June. There will only be a 1 week postseason for all sports and no state championship play.
Cypress College is a 2-year community college program, where the team identity and goals change every year with new freshman players coming in and sophomore players transferring. Face to face practices and competition is what creates a team and “they need time to get ready” said Athletic Director Wes McCurtis.
Wes McCurtis was promoted to Athletic Director last August and right when he was getting in the groove of things, just like most of us, Covid-19 hit. He has been consistently working throughout the summer and currently to prepare for athletics to resume again this spring.
The school has taken precautions such as pre-screening, social distancing, and taking temperatures. Athletic Director Wes McCurtis is very passionate and empathetic of the athletes and coaches and excited to get them back on track. Although his main goal is to make sure that the season comes back safely.
There are still many unanswered questions at a higher level with the state of the country due to the global pandemic. The good thing to know is that we have administration and faculty working hard to make sure that whatever step we take in these next few months, it will be done safely and benefit the Cypress College students and faculty members.