APS decision is devastating to sidelined athletes (ABQ NM schools prohibit student sports for remainder of Spring Semester)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | February 18, 2021 | James Yodice

[CedarDave]

“It’s like someone died,” Highland High athletic director John Barnhill said.

Indeed, across the city athletes in APS – especially the ones in a fall sport – were being forced to confront the very real possibility that they won’t get any closure to their prep careers.

When the APS board on Wednesday night voted to keep high school students in a remote learning model for the rest of the spring semester, that very likely put an end to the district’s hopes to contest any fall sports.

Senior athletes interviewed by the Journal on Thursday expressed a mixture of frustration, anger, disappointment and heartache.

“Real dark times,” Eldorado High football player Nick Petty said. “For now, we’re all pretty angered and we’re just really searching for answers.”

He wasn’t alone. “I felt heartbroken,” said senior swimmer and beach volleyball player Ariana Gonzales of Volcano Vista. “I felt they (the APS board) had given up hope and forgot what the main reason for the board was, and that’s the students.”

The mood among her and her teammates Thursday? “Loss of hope,” she said. “Disgusted.”

Rio Rancho Public Schools on Thursday announced that its re-entry plan will allow athletes to do fall sports.

This further boils the blood of many Albuquerque athletes, as they train envious eyes on dozens of schools around the state – not to mention most every other state in the country – who have pushed forward with high school sports in some fashion or another.

Seniors – and also rising juniors – hoped to have a season to help cement their future at a college.

Volcano Vista’s Gonzales said APS not playing sports will have repercussions.

“It’s gonna drive a lot of talent and intelligent (students) out of New Mexico,” she said. “People will seek opportunities elsewhere.”

[CedarDave]

APS pushed back the four fall sports seasons to this semester due to the pandemic, and at current the outlook is bleak. The four sports are football, soccer, volleyball and cross country. Other spring sports start in late March and in April.

Below is the link to the NM Activities Association (NMAA) fall and spring sports calendar, subject to approval by the individual school districts and the NM Dept. of Health:

https://www.nmact.org/file/2020-2021_Sports_Calendar.pdf

[CedarDave]

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[Red Badger]

Women, childres, Poor and minorities hardest hit...............

[Phillyred]

My one son lost his senior year of baseball. It was devastating. They were poised to go deep in the playoffs for sure. My other lost his important jr wrestling year. Can’t get that back.

[RayChuang88]

Those high school players who have potential in college will end up either out of state or going to a “JuCo” before joining a big college.