Since the swim season started in November I have spent at least an hour and a half nearly every weekday and most Saturdays in a pool, but that all changed when spring sports got postponed on Friday March 13. For nearly four months I endured long, hard swim practices (which I hated) and woke up early on Saturdays to go to meets that were an hour away, all so that I could be better for Water Polo season (the sport that I actually enjoy). When we got the news that spring sports would be postponed and school would be out for three weeks, most kids were overjoyed, but not me. I was supposed to be participating in my team’s first tournament of the year on the following day, which would be followed up by three games the following week, and another tournament that weekend. It was supposed to be the eve of my first season as a varsity starter, and now all of a sudden it was on pause. It sucked.

From the moment that the rumors that sports enclosures would be postponed started floating around, I could see people’s mood change. I was at lunch when I first heard about an email saying sports were going to be canceled for a couple of weeks. At first I didn’t believe it. By that point I had figured school would be shut down for at least a week, but I thought that sports might continue during that time. I saw our principal Dr. Freytas walking by and quickly got his attention so that I could ask him if the rumors were true. Before he even started talking I knew that what I had heard was true. Our principal didn’t have his trademark smile on his face, and instead when I looked at him on that day, I saw a look of sadness for the first time.

The rest of the day was pretty much a blur for me, I had tests in Health (fourth period) and Geometry (sixth period) that day, but I don’t think I even noticed that I was taking them. Even when I was hanging out with my friends after school I couldn’t take my mind off of it.

In the days following the news about sports, there has been more and more bad news each day. All of this, from school being out for three weeks, to Governor J.B Pritzker issuing a shelter in place order to all Illinois residents, has made not being able to play water polo seem much less important, but I still can’t help but feel that a part of me is missing.

At the end of the day I understand why sports had to be canceled. It was definitely the smart decision to make, and looking back, I don’t think it would be possible to cancel school and not sports, but it’s still hard to believe that something myself, and many other student athletes across the country, have worked so hard for is just gone.