Frustration grows as district delays athletes' conditioning

The first step in the preseason before practices like this one at Heritage High School in August 2019 consists of conditioning without equipment. So far, Perris Union High School District board members have not allowed conditioning workouts for Menifee teams. File photo

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A segment of the high school student population awaiting a return to traditional learning in Menifee is still without an additional opportunity to return to some sense of normalcy.

High school athletes in surrounding districts have been participating for two weeks in modified workouts in preparation for the revised CIF start of the sports season in December. Many districts gave this approval after Riverside County’s announcement in August that youth sports could resume workouts and practices.

Perris Union High School District board members continue to delay a decision on approving workouts for athletes at Paloma Valley, Heritage and Perris high schools, however. Parents of student-athletes are expressing frustration after Wednesday’s PUHSD board meeting, when board members tabled a proposal by superintendent Grant Bennett that would allow workouts to begin in the next week.

“I completely understand that our school district is taking precautions due to COVID-19, but all other districts have already started conditioning,” said Adrina Young, parent of a Heritage High School athlete. “This gives our student-athletes a complete disadvantage.

“Groups of student-athletes are meeting up every day and holding their own conditioning, while being responsible and adhering to social distancing. But they need the guidance of their coaches to prepare for this season. I would sign a waiver to release the school district of any liability, if that allows my children to be back on the field.”

Rita Davis, parent of two student-athletes at Paloma Valley High, expressed similar feelings.

“I have a football player and a cheerleader at Paloma. They are ready to condition and/or practice on the field with their peers and coaches,” she said. “They need the physical activity outside of the home and the bonding with their teammates.”

On July 20, the CIF Southern Section office announced a revised calendar in which seasons for football, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls water polo, boys and girls volleyball, field hockey, gymnastics and cheer would begin in December. Following the Feb. 5 County announcement about youth sports workouts, school districts in Murrieta, Temecula and Lake Elsinore began allowing workouts in those sports.

Athletes in the Murrieta Valley School District are practicing outside, using social distancing, temperature checks, and are kept in groups of no more than 20. This is the model PUHSD athletic directors used in authoring the proposal that was reviewed by the PUHSD board on Wednesday, said Heritage athletic director Scott Moore.

According to the proposal, Phase 1 would include workouts without equipment. Phase 2 would include use of equipment and the weight room for conditioning. Phase 3 would allow actual team practices, such as scrimmages. Athletes have been on their own since March, with no spring sports season or spring football practice because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“The athletic directors built this plan,” superintendent Bennett told board members at Wednesday’s meeting. “It looks like a good route to go as we move forward. In the first phase there would be no use of equipment, and there would be social distancing and temperature checks.”

As board members began to discuss the 15-page proposal, concerns were immediately expressed.

“I have received calls both of concern and in favor of opening up schools,” said trustee Edward Garcia. “If you can return athletes to training, why can’t you return students to school for education? Isn’t the education more of a priority than athletics?

“I have many questions. Will there be a nurse on site? What are the standards for sanitizing? Will they use the locker rooms? If we have to wait at least 14 days to safely reopen classrooms, why not wait 14 days to make a decision on this? If they’re just running and doing pushups, they can do that at home.”

Trustee Randall Freeman suggested reducing the number of athletes in a group from 20 to 10, with which others agreed. Trustee Jose Luis Araux suggested that 10 is a safer number because it is the same as the guidance originally provided by Riverside County for gatherings.

“Overall, it’s a good plan,” Freeman said. “Why didn’t we see this earlier? We pay attention to what other districts are doing, but that doesn’t mean we are required to follow their lead. Some districts have to make a more conservative decision.”

Moore, the athletic director at Heritage who attended the virtual board meeting, said he would return to his colleagues with the board’s request for smaller groups and other concerns they expressed.

“It could be difficult, say if volleyball has 80 kids out and we only have four coaches,” Moore said. “But if the board decides the number should be 10, we can adjust. That is negotiable.”

Garcia said most coaches he had talked to were hesitant about returning at this time, citing the extra guidelines and paperwork involved. Moore said he met with Heritage coaches and none expressed concern, however. Bennett said he was told the same by Paloma Valley athletic director Ryan Sharp.

Board president Anthony Stafford questioned where athletes would use restrooms and whether that meant school buildings would have to be opened. Moore responded that at Heritage, restrooms at the football stadium and baseball stadium would be used for workouts, which would be held outside. Both Stafford and Garcia expressed concern, however, whether enough sanitation would be provided at the restrooms and that the union to which school custodians belong has not been consulted.

“I do support coming back, but doing it right,” Stafford said., “I’m a custodial superintendent myself. The restroom issue … I don’t know. And are athletes being tested for COVID before they can join in? There are too many questions not answered.”

Stafford also said he was concerned that a long disclaimer parents must sign had not been reviewed by the district’s legal counsel. Moore said the disclaimer language was taken from a document being used in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

Bennett and Moore said the athletic directors would meet as soon as possible to address the concerns and suggest revisions to the plan. Board members said they hoped they could call a special meeting to review a revised document in about two weeks.

Monica Gutierrez, public information officer for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, said that in addition to social distancing, temperature checks and small groups, the district is requiring athletes to be screened daily before working out. No equipment is being used in the first phase, locker rooms are not used, and each athlete is required to bring a water bottle that can’t be shared with others.

“All coaches approached strength and conditioning as a step in moving forward towards bringing students back to campus,” Gutierrez said. “They worked collectively in researching health and safety practices specific to youth athletics as well as plans on ensuring best practices were implemented consistently among all high schools and teams.

“Thankfully, we have not encountered any problems thus far with the conditioning, the athletes or the safety precautions in place.”

Brent Peterson, parent of a senior and sophomore at Paloma Valley, took issue with the stance of PUHSD board members.

“The comments made during the board meeting last night were very frustrating,” Peterson said. “A quote was used and comments were made that our kids should work out at home on their own. The board does not understand or seem to consider the mental and social well-being of our student-athletes working out with their teams, even if it’s six feet apart. There are bonds that these teammates have and they push one another to higher levels when doing activities together.

“There is a reason we have coaches and their expertise, guidance and mentorship. They are not just there to babysit. Let them be coaches. Both of my kids have experienced different levels of depression and both of them are student-athletes. Distance learning is difficult enough as it is, and they are doing the best they can with the student portion. They now desperately need the athlete portion of their lives back in some fashion. The longer they go without, the more damage is being done to their physical, mental and social well-being.”

Jen Hauser, whose son is quarterback of the Paloma Valley football team, urged parents to contact board members with their concerns.

“It’s really important that we as parents let the board know how important athletics are to our kids,” Hauser said. “They need to hear from us and our athletes!”

Blake Hauser (shown in action last season) summed things up for his teammates and other student-athletes.

“I am a senior and play varsity football at Paloma Valley High School,” Blake Hauser wrote in a message to Menifee 24/7. “I have played football since I was 5 years old, and that’s what I love to do. I had the opportunity to start at quarterback last year and at the end of the year I wasn’t happy with how I as an athlete had played. So ever since the end of the season, I have been training, working out and doing everything I can do to prepare for my final high school football season.

“The only thing that has been missing from this whole experience so far is being able to be with my teammates, talk to them, get to know them better, and make stronger connections. I miss being able to play football, and as most former players, including my older brother say, some of their greatest memories came from high school and playing football with all their friends.

“These are years of my life that I will never be able to get back, and I don’t want to miss out on any of it.”