Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Buena sports will have to share the field in the spring, as most sports will be played in the same season and will have to adapt their practice and workout schedules accordingly. 

“Practice space on our outside spaces will be stressed,” Athletic Director Shaun Strople said. “Boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ track & field, baseball, and softball [are] all competing during the same season.”

In past years, track and soccer would play in different seasons. This year, they will both be played in the spring season. Because of this, the field will be more crowded with practices, workouts, and games. 

“Boy’s and girl’s soccer, as well as track and field will be using this facility on a daily basis,” Strople said. Some coaches have agreed to schedule games at different times to help other sports have their own time to practice and train. This way, everyone helps each other get equal practice time.

 “I think the new face-to-face workout policies do the best they can to keep all student-athletes, coaches, and others safe,” Amanda Tewes, the Buena girls soccer coach, said, “Ultimately I’m all for whatever we need to do to get back on the field while still ensuring everyone is as protected and safe as possible.”

Boy’s and girl’s soccer and track and field aren’t the only sports having to overlap in the Spring. Girl’s and boy’s basketball will have to share the court with boy’s volleyball. In past years, basketball was a winter sport, and boy’s volleyball was a spring sport, but this year, they are both spring sports. 

Football is a fall sport, but in past years, it would have started in April. This year, it has started much later than April. 

“The first day of organized football practice was Sept. 21,” Bryce Taylor, the junior football player said, “yet we are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing the whole time.”

Football won’t have as much as a problem with sharing the field, this is because they are still a fall sport this year. However, there might be a problem with football and boy’s and girl’s soccer preseason training overlapping. Soccer is supposed to start workouts sometime in early to middle of Nov. Thus, creates the overlapping problem.

Even though this year is different with sports playing in different seasons and with sports with different workout plans, Buena sports will still happen and represent our school.