COVID and the high school athlete’s nightmare
Many of those wanting to move on to college or university sports at a time when games can’t be played are in a terrible bind with no easy solution
This is an exciting time of year for high school athletes looking to play college or university sports. They’ve been scouted, some have been recruited and in many of those cases, they’ve chosen the place they’ll call home for the next four or five years.
It’s also an optimistic time for the schools who believe they’ve found the future stars who’ll help bring provincial or national titles to campus.
At least, most years it is. Not now. The cancellation of most athletic seasons thanks to COVID-19, coupled with the compassionate exemption that allows seniors to return without having burned a year of eligibility, has put many high school athletes in a terrible bind.
“You’re going to have a whole lot of people who otherwise could’ve had an opportunity to play at the next level, not getting that chance,” says Mohawk College men’s basketball coach, Brian Jonker.
It is a mess. Of nobody’s making. With most club and high school games shut down for the better part of a year now, prospective athletes
can’t be scouted. So coaches are already flying blind. Recognizing the decision makers can’t come to them, players are pushing themselves in front of the decision makers.
McMaster men’s volleyball coach Dave Preston runs one of the top programs in the country so he’s always hearing from high school athletes interested in being recruited. Usually that means an email a day or so from across the country. This year? Try three or four times that many.
“We are absolutely inundated,” he says.
The story is repeated by coach after coach at every local college or university. Redeemer University basketball coach Jamie Girolametto says he’s been getting tape from across Canada, spots in the United States and even from international students.
There are two problems here. First, most only send highlight reels which show them at their best while leaving out all the other moments in games. So, it can often be essentially meaningless. Second, some of that film was shot when kids were in Grade 10.
“How can you possibly make an educated decision on that?” asks Mac football coach, Stef Ptaszek.
Teens grow physically, they mature, and they get better — or not — at a sport. None of that is clear from an old tape. Extrapolating what a scrawny 15-yearold will be like when he or she is playing against men or women is near impossible.
The backup plan? Many college or university coaches may have to rely on the references of coaches they know in the club feeder system. But even that has risk. Some of those contacts would love to be able to bolster their program’s reputation by saying they put kids on a national powerhouse university team. So, figuring out you can really trust and who has an agenda adds another layer of difficulty.
All this doesn’t even account for late-blooming kids who may have been average athletes before the shutdown but have grown or developed or might be way better today if they were able to play. They’ll likely be overlooked completely.
“For sure there are going to be athletes who fall through the cracks,” says Mac women’s basketball coach, Theresa Burns.
Some schools may take a leap of faith, she adds. Offering some kind of scholarship to players you know almost nothing about and have never seen play live could land you the jackpot if they turn out to be an unpolished gem. The alternative? Tying up precious spots with athletes who can’t play could set your program back for years.
Even if there are open practices when sports restart (which some coaches say they plan to hold) offering those on the outside a faint-hope clause, there’s an even-bigger problem looming.
Because Canadian colleges and universities are allowing seniors to stick around for another season rather than losing their final year to the COVID lockdown — the appropriate move, by the way — there won’t be the usual roster turnover. With many of the older players still on the team and last year’s recruiting class already locked in, many teams are full. Or close to it.
“I’ve already had to say, ‘Sorry, I don’t have a spot,’” Preston says. “And I’ve had to say that to kids in the youth national program.”
So, the search for answers begins. Could schools expand their rosters and field junior varsity teams which would let those who aren’t yet ready for the main squad have their own league with their own games?
Unlikely. That would require more coaches, more equipment, more uniforms, more travel, more officials, and more everything else. All costing money and all taking time. As belts are being tightened everywhere in the wake of the pandemic, the idea that some places would expand is far-fetched. In fact, Mohawk even announced this week it was removing golf, indoor soccer and badminton from varsity status.
Ultimately, some athletes will find homes. Many other hopefuls will have to apply for their dream university or college and even accept the position if one is offered before sports start again, before knowing if there’s a spot for them on the team.
Meaning they could guess correctly, attend an open tryout if one’s offered and ultimately have a place to play. Or guess wrong and be shut out. Even if they are good enough to play at that level.
“They’re in a bind,” Burns says.
That seems clear. So what’s the answer?
“Honestly,” she says, “there’s no good solution for it.”