On Wednesday, Aug. 5, the NCAA released a statement on their decision to cancel all Division II championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At CPP, this cancellation affects women’s and men’s cross country, volleyball, and men’s and women’s soccer. With spring sports already getting canceled earlier this year, the decision did not come as a shock to many. Just as for all spring athletes, the fall athletes will be granted an extra year of eligibility since the pandemic cut their season short.
The Poly Post interviewed some student-athletes to get their opinions on this unprecedented situation.
“When the California Collegiate Athletic Association suspended all NCAA fall competition I was surprised. I did not expect our volleyball season to be pushed back that far. Now that I know we won’t be competing in the fall, I will dedicate my free time to practicing volleyball and staying in shape. During the break I’ve been conditioning myself so that when we get back into season, I will not be behind.”
“For me, the pandemic arrived at a bad time since this is going to be my last season. I was working hard and looking forward to the season, and with this uncertainty, no one really knows when or if the season will happen. This is very disappointing. However, as an international student this pandemic gave me a little bit of time to be around my family while I continue my academic process.”
“After hearing about the news that the CCAA canceled all fall sports in the NCAA, I was devastated. When the pandemic first started, I looked forward to a new season and a fresh start because many of us did not get the full experience of college volleyball. It is very disappointing because we won’t get to play together this year. Our team stepped up our game during spring training and became really close on and off the court. Hopefully we will all be able to start right where we left off in the spring.”
“The CCAA canceling all NCAA fall competitions felt very surreal, but I feel like we had prepared ourselves well for that outcome. Although it may have hurt, it reframed my mind on the possibility of a 2021 track season, because this season will be like no other. I can’t even imagine the explosive energy that will be flowing through every athlete when we finally have our first practice back and we’re racing again. I’ve suffered a couple of injuries during my time here on the cross/track team that kept me from having a (complete) season. Now that I’m adding a pandemic to the reasons why I haven’t finished another season; completing our first season back will make things even sweeter for me. I am very interested to see how the CCAA will be handling future seasons; it’s crazy to think I’ll be a senior the next time I run cross country.”
“The CCAA canceling fall competition is unfortunate and saddening. Especially for me, going into my senior year I was looking forward to competing one last time next to my family of teammates. On the flip side, I do understand why they canceled the season and at least I know the CCAA prioritizes our health and safety showing they do care for us athletes. My team and I know that this isn’t a time to be lazy and slack off. We have to show commitment and dedication to make sure we’re always improving, not just as athletes but human beings as well.”
“Personally, soccer has always been a huge part of my life. Both on and off the field, being an athlete teaches you so many life lessons. Hearing that our season was canceled, I was very disappointed. It means giving up one of the biggest parts of myself, and I can’t even begin to imagine what our seniors that might not be able to play in their last season are feeling. With that being said, I do understand it. I see how COVID-19 has affected and taken the lives of many. I wish that there was another alternative so that the many athletes affected can have their season, but I believe everybody’s safety should be a priority.”
