With the sad news that high school spring sports have officially been canceled, 14 coaches from around the state shared messages of hope, encouragement and appreciation for the Class of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has robbed the seniors of their final high school season, but not their experiences and commitment along the way.
Copper Hills softball coach John Florez
Seniors, from around the state, please keep your heads up high. You all have represented your respective schools and the sport of softball with amazing grace, respect and pride. Your dedication to your craft through the years have been driving forces for so many young athletes to follow in your footsteps. As a coach I cannot say thank you enough for all of your hard work and dedication to the sport we love so much. You all elevated your games and the games of those around you and made the competition fun and the process extremely worthwhile. I thank you all for your contributions to this great game of softball. We may come from different programs but will all stand united in this 2020 softball year! We support you on your future endeavors and wish you the best in life.
To my seniors at Copper Hills High School, not just my softball seniors (Makaiya, Alyxx, Lainee, and Sam — we love you ladies), thank you for your dedication, hard work, and more importantly the support of one another on and off the field. Your competitiveness and desire to achieve great things in your careers will continue to be driving forces for many years to come. If you only knew the way you have moved others to strive for greatness, the memories you have given to one another and to your families and friends. Take a moment to reflect on the hard work and the things you have achieved and be proud seniors you deserve it. We salute you and stand tall with you in these trying times. You are all amazing and we cannot wait to see what your futures hold. Thank you.
Salem Hills soccer coach Jerry Johnson
Success in athletics is measured in many ways. One is easy to see, it includes state championships, rivalry wins, all-state accolades and trophies in the case. COVID-19 has stolen this from us. But there is another measure of success, that is harder to count, but much more important — it is recorded on the scoresheet of what you have become. This will never be taken from you. Your training, your teammates and coaches and the years of dedication to your sport have changed you, they have made you men and women of character who stand ready to make a difference in the world. Hold on to that. What you have become is our greatest win.
Bingham baseball coach Joey Sato
Like many of you, as I communicated with our players, I have shed many tears since hearing the announcement from the UHSAA that canceled the spring seasons. My heart goes out to all those seniors who have not had the opportunity to finish out the season that you have dreamed about since you could remember. Laying it all on the line with your “brothers” or “sisters” at the end of May in a state tournament has been a burning desire that has now been extinguished. Missing out on sharing time with your teammates; the joys of the successes; the pain of the failures; the opportunities to learn life lessons though athletics; all of which provide experiences that help shape or mold us have now been taken away. But we have an opportunity.
“2020 seniors, I offer you this perspective. Look forward. You are at the beginning of a wonderful time in your life, despite the events that have taken place. You will be defined as a person as to how you respond to this situation. Let’s look at the bigger picture.” — Bingham baseball coach Joey Sato
2020 seniors, I offer you this perspective. Look forward. You are at the beginning of a wonderful time in your life, despite the events that have taken place. You will be defined as a person as to how you respond to this situation. Let’s look at the bigger picture. Yes, losing a spring season is hurtful, but it doesn’t compare to the economic struggles or loss of life due to this terrible virus. I encourage you to respond to the circumstances in a positive way. Make positive choices that will promote your growth. Choose to look for ways to provide service, care for others or provide joy in a time of crisis. Choose to use your specific skills or talents to benefit others. Also, choose to make some time for your academic and athletic growth. Come out of this circumstance a better person! Leave a great legacy of a teammate that will never be forgotten!
Brighton tennis coach Natalie Meyer
Seniors of 2020, you are the class that was born during 9/11 and will graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic. You must be a generation to reckon with.
The world knows that you are strong and will follow your beliefs and dreams no matter what. I am as heartbroken as you with the ending of the spring sports season and finishing a school year online. I am a lifelong teacher and coach and know the importance of school and sport tradition. My boys tennis team lost state last year by one point and has put in countless hours since that day to prepare for this year’s competition which will no longer take place. I know many athletes across the state have been preparing in the same manner and greatly disappointed at this time. I believe the decision was a tough but wise one. From the news reports and data coming through, I was not surprised by this information. I have been prepping for this moment for the last couple of weeks. Tuesday I sent an email to my seniors and this is what I told them:
“I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for each and every one of you. I am truly blessed to work with such amazing young men and families! For the seniors, please look at this experience as one that makes us understand what truly matters in life — relationships with amazing people. All of your names are engraved on the state trophy in my heart. Remember the lessons that you have learned from your team, your coaches, and this pandemic. Be grateful for your health, loved ones, and please make safe decisions. Bengal love to all.”
Pleasant Grove baseball coach Darrin Henry
Some may just say it is just a sport. I’m not sure if anyone realizes the work and dedication that each boy or girl puts into a season for the chance to play their sport. From early morning weightlifting to after school practices, along with endless hours of perfecting a craft to make them and their team successful. The countless camps, summer leagues, fall leagues, club ball, individual lessons, etc. All of this for a chance to play with a group of their best friends for their community and school. It provides an opportunity to see what they can accomplish and what memories they could create. Many of the players have waited their entire playing careers to have this chance. Now they will not have that opportunity. I just hope the communities, families and friends will remember to shower these great young players with love, appreciation, and condolences for their loss. For most boys and girls this age the sport they are playing is their best friend and their true love. There is rarely a day or an hour that goes by without thinking about it or trying to get better at it. Playing sports brings much more than what you see between the lines. It represents joy, competition, friendship, dedication, hard work, community, character, learning, improvement, family, tradition, pride, laughing, crying, beauty, poetry, failure, success, future, sense of belonging, and so many other things. My heart truly breaks for all of the players who have lost these great opportunities. My heart is also full with respect for all of their hard work and dedication up to this point. No one will ever be able to take that away from them. I hope we will always remember this great group of seniors for their loss. I hope we will always have a special place in our hearts and minds for them for their sacrifice. I also hope we will cherish these great opportunities to play sports in the future when they do come back. Seniors, please know that so many of us are thinking of you and love you.
Desert Hills softball coach Heidi Taylor
Yesterday I got an email from a great friend and mentor of mine, Bob Shober. He shared a quote from the great Rocky Balboa: “It ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” I know that this sucks, it isn’t ideal, it isn’t awesome, it’s just plain crappy. But then I think about the game, and isn’t losing all of those same things? Our job is to win, to teach and coach and be winners. We can still do that, we are just ‘winning’ at something different now. Life. I would hope that we are always trying to instill great qualities in the youth that we coach. Now my team gets to use those skills in the most crazy real life situation they’ve encountered.
“I am proud of each and every one of those girls and their efforts because I know they can look back and know that win or lose, they did their best.” — Desert Hills softball coach Heidi Taylor
On the last day that we were able to play games I watched as young women from five different teams left their hearts on the field. They hit home runs, they threw strikeouts, picked people off bases, turned double plays, and all with huge smiles on their faces. They played like it just might be their last day. I am proud of each and every one of those girls and their efforts because I know they can look back and know that win or lose, they did their best. They’ve learned to always try their hardest and they will take that with them into the next phase of their lives.
I’ll end with another quote from my friend. “If we could sum up Rocky’s speech in one word, what would it be? Resiliency. ‘The capacity to overcome quickly from difficulties; toughness’” These kids are extremely resilient. I know they will achieve greatness far more than they can even imagine today. The future is bright.”
Brighton lacrosse coach Melissa Nash
To the 2020 spring sport athletes, we love you, and we miss you. And we so wish this season ended on our terms. My advice, don’t let this stop you from playing your sport. Play in college. Find a rec league. Can’t find one? Make one. Coach. Ref. Teach your younger siblings. Come back next year to help your high school team (we’d love to have you). Use this to fuel your fire — not put it out. And as always, Go Bengals.
Lehi softball coach Tim Kennedy
The late Ken Ravizza used to preach ‘control the controllables.’ We can control our fears and anxiety, so flush it. Stay close to each other, support and stay connected to each other. Life is like a continual softball game. We are going to see rise balls on occasion. It’s what we learn from that rise ball is what defines us. Learn from it and get better. This is real life stuff that’s going to make us stronger. We love you no matter what.
Maple Mountain baseball coach Gary Miner
In our program we always talk about “outside the white lines.” It is in context of telling kids not to let things “outside the white lines” get in the way of between the lines. Said another way, we don’t want things that don’t have to do with baseball to interfere with our ability to play a game we all love. This shutdown is the ultimate example. It hurts all the more because things were taken out of our control. There was never that chance to see if “this was our year.”
Lastly, we also preach the process is more important than the outcome. Enjoy the process because you can’t control the outcome. Enjoy being at practice. Enjoy the association because there are very few of us who get to be a part of the process.
Herriman track coach Jonathan Haag
I remember when you first joined the track and field team. Some of you were bright-eyed freshman and some were upperclassmen. Many of you weren’t sure they were cut out for this but I have watched with immense pride as you built skill, confidence and maturity throughout the years. You have been a great example to our younger athletes by being consistent, working hard in the offseason, going the extra mile and helping us learn how to both win and lose with grace. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your high school career and I look forward to seeing you again.
West softball coach Keith Lopati
I share a feeling of frustration for teachers and students. No one has experienced anything like this before and things change so quickly it’s hard to get a sense of priorities in order. But from an athletic standpoint, it saddens me that these seniors will not get to experience the subtlety’s of creating team chemistry, bonding, the joys of winning or losing and probably most importantly, “senior” night. It would be refreshing for the powers that be, give these (all) seniors an opportunity to experience the feeling of gratitude and appreciation from their respected teachers, administration, and student body for their hard work, their struggles, their perseverance and their successes throughout each of their high school careers. Give them the respectful sendoff each of these kids deserve.
Rowland Hall soccer coach Scott Langone
Like all coaches, I’m sad to have not completed the boys soccer high school season. I’m disappointed for those seniors in all our Utah soccer classifications. I’m sad for those seniors Rowland Hall has battled on the pitch for the last few years, you will be missed. To my two seniors, Jason Nkoy and Ben Kanter, I will always be grateful for having coached you, but more importantly having known you. The dedication, courage and effort you’ve put into the program will be emulated for years to come. Thank you senior competitors. Thank you to all those seniors that have left a mark on UHSAA soccer.
Syracuse track coach Brian Berrong
For years you have labored, toiled, practiced, lifted weights, dieted, and committed yourself to challenging workouts. You have stepped on the track, in the batters box, on the pitch or on the court with great devotion, engaged in the worthy cause of your particular sport. Filled with the enthusiasm and pride that comes from bearing the name of your school on your chest.
During your first seasons of high school, some experienced the triumph of high achievements. Others have failed while daring greatly. You endured struggles that come with being young. However you chose to keep going rather than find yourself with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
How many times in grade school and in the those early years did you share the thought with your teammates; ”When I’m a senior!”. You spoke of potential triumphs, home runs, goals and school records.
Now you are seniors. You’re in the best position to have your own sports moment. To be the bigger, faster, stronger man in the arena!
“With the cancellation of spring sports your goals will have to be adjusted, modified, and refined. The new challenge you face is overcoming the disappointment, the ‘what if game’, and the deep personal loss you feel.” — Syracuse track coach Brian Berrong
And yet, you did not get your moment. You did not even get to enter the arena. You were told to go home. Told to avoid your teammates and coaches. Isolate yourself from your moment and from your arena. Divided from your great passions of sports and friends.
So that is what you did. You followed orders. You recognized the significance of this world pandemic. For the good of those around you, you put your dreams on hold; but not away.
Holding to hope, you continued work out, improve your skills, mold your talents and did so with no promise of a performance. You held to a idea that filled your mind for many years. For each of you the idea was a little different. For some it was being a State Champion, for others is was simply competing with lifelong friends one last time.
With the cancellation of spring sports your goals will have to be adjusted, modified, and refined. The new challenge you face is overcoming the disappointment, the ‘what if game’, and the deep personal loss you feel.
I believe as you seniors move forward, you must adopt the same attitude we all need to adopt; an attitude of gratitude. We must remember the moments we did share. The deposits we made in ourselves, verses the withdraws we were denied. We must find strength in the journey, verses the view of the destination we’re not allowed to reach.
In the end, you seniors of the Class of 2020 won’t be remembered for what you did or didn’t do, but for how you handled the adversity of goals and dreams lost.
We coaches are proud of you. We love you. Continue to elevate yourself. Carry yourself with pride. You got this. You are all champions. Know that your legacy will be unlike any other. You are and forever will be the seniors of 2020.
Riverton baseball coach Jay Applegate
As so many things have changed over the last couple months it is hard to try and put things into perspective. We are no different than any other team out there in looking forward to having a great season. We have nine great seniors that my heart breaks for as they don’t get the opportunity to compete and experience all the ups and downs of competitive sports. We talk almost daily with our players of how the diamond is one of the greatest laboratories for life and all the lessons we can apply to help us down the road. We focus on relationships, being a good person, and going out of your way to help others. We try to help them understand to only focus on what they can control in the game of baseball. Don’t waste time on things out of your control such as an umpires call, weather, etc., because it’s not going to change anything and usually leads to negative thoughts. Such is life! As hard as this has been I feel my players are handling it like champions. Trying to stay positive and figuring out what the next chapter of their life is going to be.
I’ve been blessed to be able to coach kids for a long time and really enjoy seeing them progress as athletes, become productive in society, become great parents and leaders. As my oldest son is a senior, we have had many talks about sports and life. As we have been thrown a “pitch” we have never seen before we must figure out a way to overcome it. I also feel cheated in not being able to coach and watch him experience the thrills of playing from a personal level. But as we have talked we remind each other that this is out of our control and we must stay positive and take one day at a time.
Sports are extremely important for individual growth but we also know there are many other things that are more important in life. As we deal with this and other challenges in life may we as a team, family, and community remember all the lessons of playing sports. Stay together, pick each other up when they are down, focus on what we can control and know we will be able to get through this and will be able to hear hopefully in the near future “Play Ball.”
Coaches who wish to post additional comments can email them to prepstats@deseretnews.com.