Due to cancellation of tournaments and an abrupt change of coaches forced by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, virtual polideportivo faces a lack of sign ups for the upcoming semester.

Coaches, who also work as PE teachers, had to leave their coaching jobs for this semester to allow all the other exclusive polideportivo coaches to remain employed, given the school’s budget cuts. Consequently, many athletes refused to enroll even though the program is free of charge. 

“If I were to enroll in polideportivo, we would have a totally different coach which is why I decided not to sign up, ” Isabel Mora, girls’ soccer captain, said.

Furthermore, all of the sport events scheduled for this semester, which include HS Binationals, have been suspended and not yet confirmed to be reprogrammed. For most athletes, especially seniors, these tournaments are one of the main reasons why they train hard and enroll in extracurriculars.

 “I feel super sad because soccer is a very meaningful part of my life, I’ve been playing since first grade, and this year is one that we all look forward to. I believe that if the tournaments are cancelled, most of the motivation is thrown away,” Mora said. 

Consequently, Freddie Badillo, TCS athletic director, conducted a meeting with all the team captains to discuss the reasons behind the lack of sign ups and how important it was to actually register.  

“The decision of whether or not binatinals will occur, depends on the amount of athletes the school counts on. I understand that it is not the same to train through a screen but I really encourage everyone to sign up,” Badillo said. 

To compensate for the cancellation of tournaments, TCS Athletic council established several activities that would be performed virtually 2- 4 days a week during virtual practices. These include both physical activity, and interactive games for teams to collaborate and spend time together.  However, most of the athletes train every day before school starts.

“I personally work out by myself in the mornings, in order to have time in the afternoons to do homework. Therefore, having to train during poli would be like an extra burden for me,” Juana Diez, senior volleyball player said. 

The Athletic Council decided to re-open the Columbus Life Registry Page which had been closed in August. 

“Ultimately, I decided to sign up because of the Atlantic Council’s insistence, but, I don’t plan on attending any virtual session,” Mora said.