Chalen Lozano (Marana High) In our world today, it is clear to see our lives are in a standstill against the events of 2020. With this comes the restrictions and precautions that define our current state since late March.
Inconveniently, the start of spring sports ranging from youth activities, high school sports, collegiate athletics, and professional leagues ran into an invisible wall before the fans and athletes alike can even think.
Everyone on my team felt lost when their favorite meets would be postponed or even cancelled. The fans wouldn’t be able to go see that game they wanted to watch. Parents couldn’t see their children have fun while playing their favorite sport, and the athletes miss out on tremendous opportunities and accomplishments.
I was a senior track and field athlete affected by an ever-growing worry of not being able to finish my high school career smashing records at Marana High School. One day before the Salpointe Lancer Invitational, all spring sports were postponed. However, it crushed me not being able to do the thing I love most. I already had plans to break the 4:30 1600-meter run months before Lancer and soon shatter our school record at 4:25.40. However, it didn’t take long before all spring season sports had been cancelled. To me and other athletes, I thought it may have been a dream gone wrong. One that came true and eliminated my high school career in less than a second. There I thought, even throughout this hardship, that I must stand tall and keep my head high.
In March I signed to Pima Community College to be a part of the spark that leads the Aztecs to a powerful reign in the NJCAA. During these tough times, I think of all my training since last December and use that knowledge and experience I gain.
Every bit of motivation I spent was to keep me moving after the cancellation of the Arizona State Championships, then use that strive and motivation to stand out in a new environment when I start my first ever collegiate race. Sure, my season came to a sudden end; but that does not mean I must dwell on those thoughts constantly.
Meanwhile, I had been consistently training throughout the last few months, done multiple mile and two-mile time trials to develop myself as an individual. As I move toward the future, I plan to go with the flow of time and train accordingly to maximize my potential for the upcoming crosscountry season.
While something like this has never been seen within my generation, it is important for me to realize that at some point, whether it is next month or nine months ahead, there will be sports again. No matter how long it takes, life will go on and many of the things I love whether it would be school, sports, or even simple outings will come back. I rise and have hope for the future. One day, fans and athletes will rejoice for the return of athletics.
