Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, Golf, and Tennis being the only spring sports cleared to compete with the proper restrictions. Ventura Unified monitors the rates of positive COVID-19 cases in hopes that tryouts for other purple tier sports can occur in the near future.

Try out dates will be in March and students can go to the athletics page for Buena high school to contact the coach or find out the exact dates. Students who are in more than one sport may be able to transition from their fall sport to their spring sport around Feb. 17 such as from cross country to track and field. However, because this is still a consideration, there is a high possibility that the dates will change with additional guidance from CDPH, VCPH, and CIF.

The Dec. 14 CDPH Guidance is the most current guideline that the district has received from the state. The guidance provides direction on outdoor and indoor youth sports activities. 

Risk of transmission is higher for indoor sports than outdoor sports due to reduced ventilation. Face coverings will be required and must be worn at all times unless it becomes a hazard. Minors and adults alike should maintain at least six feet of distance even when on the sidelines. If equipment is shared it should be cleaned and disinfected before used by someone else and no personal limits or drink bottles should be shared. 

Coaches Michele Burns and Aaron Torres coach cross country in the Fall and track in the Spring. On Feb. 20 at Oxnard high school both boys and girls teams for cross country, competed against Ventura. They are also the first sport to compete so far.

“It is completely different from previous seasons because we run an average of nine races,” senior Brenda Garcia said. 

The team will be running three races this year, the first Feb. 20 against Venura the next will be Feb. 27 against Channel Island and the last will be March 6. Both teams couldn’t have been happier to be able to participate in a competition again. Another member of the team, freshman Chloe Williams, said it felt great to interact with the team and see each other’s progress. 

“Every time an athlete arrives at a practice Coach Burns must ask them if they are showing any signs of COVID-19 symptoms,” Garcia said. Right now there are about fourteen runners in a small group to train with.

The Dec. 14 CDPH Guidance is the most current guideline that the district has received from the state. The guidance provides direction on outdoor and indoor youth sports activities. The only sports activities that this guidance does not apply to is collegiate or professional sports.

Risk of transmission is higher for indoor sports than outdoor sports due to reduced ventilation. Face coverings will be required and must be worn at all times unless it becomes a hazard. Minors and adults alike should maintain at least six feet of distance even when on the sidelines. If equipment is shared it should be cleaned and disinfected before used by someone else and no personal limits or drink bottles should be shared. 

The cross country teams have had more changes then just the heath protocols as well, their drills and tactics have changed so that they can improve their running abilities. Changes in the health protocols would be the teams having to wear a mask when they arrive at practice and keeping them on until they finish their drills, once practice is finished the masks have to be put on again. 

Team members must also stay at least six feet apart at all times and have their temperature taken and fill out a COVID-19 form to be able to compete. Team members must also stay at least six feet apart at all times and have their temperature taken and fill out a COVID-19 form to be able to compete.

“The real difference for our cross races right now are that instead of all the schools racing at once only two teams race at a time,” junior Isaiah Maldonado said.

While there won’t be nearly as many competitions as last year members from both teams are excited for the chance to compete at all this year including Maldonado who joined last year and Garcia who is one of the seniors on the team. 

 “I feel very honored and ecstatic to have the ability to run cross country because I thought I would not get a chance to do so again since this is my last year at Buena,” Garcia said.