The news that California high school sports seasons are set to resume in early January was welcomed with open arms by most, but there were a few surprises in the revised calendars for the 2020-2021 year that could negatively impact Northwood’s multi-sport athletes.

As news broke of schools closing, sophomore Andrew Penrod had been tirelessly working on his defense to help the Varsity Football team, while also practicing both sides of the ball for Boys Volleyball and Boys Basketball. However, for the upcoming season, volleyball and football will coincide in the fall season. They will have to strike an unforeseen balance between school work and athletics.

“I now know which sports I may need to focus on and devote more time to especially during quarantine,” Penrod said. “It may take away a part of my life that I really wanted, but I just might have to move on and see it as an experience to dial in on reality.”

In addition to impacting the players, coaches are facing more pressure than before to carefully pick their teams, according to an article by the Los Angeles Times on the long-term impacts of high school sports. With more people forced to quit sports due to potential conflicts, the slight dip in the number of athletes could lead to a domino effect as budgeting is projected to decrease. In addition to the looming threat that sports may not resume at all, coaches will have to conduct their tryouts in accordance with these external factors, which could lead to more selective programs during tryouts. However, Northwood’s sports administrators are hoping to optimize the upcoming season, especially for team practices and individual workouts during the spring season.

“Our incredible athletic directors and coaches are extremely aware of the potential field space and are working diligently to develop a plan to make sports ideal for everyone,” Assistant Principal Eric Keith said.

With the increased time commitment during the season, students will have to be more efficient with their time to alleviate the stress that comes with being a student-athlete, especially with online classes.

“I hope these events will be a blessing in disguise for all of Northwood’s multi-sport athletes, especially due to quarantine,“ Penrod said.