Trinity Classical Academy and Santa Clarita Christian School are two athletics programs that have seen an uptick in the production of the sports teams as of lately. Both the boys and girls basketball teams made postseason berths in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs and the schools were currently in the midst of their spring sports slate.
On Thursday, with the surrounding events going on concerning the coronavirus, the two schools, in agreement and compliance with the Heritage League and all of its other members, decided that they will suspend all spring sports activities through April 11 as was stated in a news release by the league.
“Given the current status of affairs with school and sporting event closures from COVID-19, as a league we have determined it best to suspend all Heritage League contests for the next four weeks (through April 11),” the release said. “We will be working through alternative options to complete league standings (tournament format, play-in games, etc.) after that time depending on how many things progress.”
SCCS athletic director James Mosley, who is also the head coach of the boys basketball team, addressed just how heartbreaking it must be for the senior student-athletes that were unable to complete their respective sports seasons.
“It breaks your heart to think about the teams who received the honor and accomplishment of going to state, starting there with basketball, and seeing all the excitement when they won the regional final,” Mosely said. “To think that they can’t fulfill or finish that, it breaks your heart that they are missing out on a special opportunity.
“For the spring sports, to see all the work that the seniors have put in and all the diligence it all culminates in the six-to-10-week span. To see them not being able to go out and play, it breaks your heart for them knowing how much they put into it.”
As heartbreaking as it is, it is a necessity according to Trinity’s athletic director Matt Dixon for the health, safety and well-being of all those involved with high school athletics.
“We all want our seasons to happen. Students have worked hard and athletics are a big part of their education,” Dixon said via text message. “But, this is bigger than sports. And, making an executive decision as a league as quickly as possible, I believe, was in the best interest of our teams, school and communities at large.
Trinity and SCCS administration and officials will continue to monitor the situation and take preventative actions to continue without spring sports or their reinstatement in the coming weeks as Dixon is still hopeful.
“Hopefully, some semblance of a season might still happen,” he said. “Beyond just the competition, I know students will be missing out on the memories and camaraderie with teammates. But, this is uncharted territory for all of us. And, moving forward, I think it will help us think through and plan for another set of ‘what ifs’ that could come our way for our teams and school.”
