By Jaycee Hampton, Staff Writer
Athletic teams at Eastern Oklahoma State College are preparing for their upcoming seasons. All NJCAA athletics in Oklahoma have been moved to the 2021 spring, meaning that soccer, softball, baseball, and basketball teams will be playing their season at the same time.
The athletic teams at Eastern have been working diligently to make sure they are prepared and following Covid-19 regulations so their seasons can go as planned.
One athlete that deals with managing these regulations is softball player Diana Guerrero. Guerrero is a freshman pitcher for the Mountaineers, and she is passionate about playing this upcoming season and makes sure to follow regulations when practicing prior to the season beginning.
“Some of the everyday precautions we take are making sure to wear our masks every time we have a workout or practice,” Guerrero explains. “Our temperatures are checked daily, and if any of us feel sick we are to report it immediately to our coaches.
“This season I am looking forward to traveling with my teammates to new places and getting to play, God willing”
Despite Covid-19 regulations, these athletes are working their hardest to stay mentally and physically well. Duriell Taylor is a shooting guard for the men’s basketball team, and he has made it a priority to focus on the game but remembers to stay well physically and mentally too.
“I’ve mentally prepared myself that this season can go either way, canceled or not,” Taylor says. “Physically, I take the weight room seriously with every rep, [then] during practice it is down to business.”
The teams at EOSC are working harder and more together than ever before to assure a safe season. Defensive Center Back for the women’s soccer team, Isabelle Hardy, is proud of the dynamic the team has created working towards this season.
“I’m mostly looking forward to the season to see all of our hard work pay off,” says Hardy. “As a team, we have five core covenants. F.A.I.T.H. F stands for friendship, A for attitude, I for integrity, T for trust, and H for hard work. It’ll be beautiful to see those play out on the field.”
All of these college athletes are not only extremely dedicated to their sport but also to following these Covid-19 precautions. With these in mind, they can all work towards one common goal: participating in this spring athletic season.
