Following in the footsteps of many Wilsonville athletes, the class of 2022 are looking to have the option to play in college. However, due to COVID restrictions, these athletes have had to work twice as hard as their predecessors in order to be seen by college coaches, who are unable to be at games in person due to a shut down with in person recruiting. Athletes are having to find ways to adapt to the new circumstances that life has brought forth.

Junior soccer players Dalton Mermis and Karina Borgen are two juniors affected by the issues with recruiting this year. Mermis describes that, “The worst part is not being able to visit schools to meet the soccer teams.” One difficulty that every class of athletes is dealing with is the stress of current college athletes receiving an extra year of eligibility to make up for the lost season due to COVID. However, athletes can still take things into their own hands. Borgen notes, “While I can still contact coaches and send them past film, I don’t have much new film or highlights to send to them.” 

COVID, from the day it entered the United States, is affecting the amount that every sport can play. “It got taken away at the snap of a finger and it took awhile to come back,” Borgen commented. Thankfully, Mermis expressed that she has been able to “practice twice a week and play games on the weekends.” Additionally, she has been “lifting weights and getting stronger…going to kick arounds with my friends and working on shooting and juggling.”

On the flip side, many aspects of the game have changed. The athletes have to wear masks and from March to July, practices had been canceled and could only be in zoom practices. Soccer being a team sport, it was difficult for both girls to deal with not being able to play with their teams. Even rules have changed. Mermis adds, “We also cannot slide tackle or throw in the ball so we have to play kick ins. Hopefully within the next year we won’t have to wear masks and we can return to our normal gameplay and resume our ‘normal’ lives pre COVID.” Still, Borgen remains optimistic, saying, “Playing club has helped dramatically because it holds me accountable for the work I need to be putting in.”  

One thing that needs to be remembered is that athletes of every age are taught how to adapt and work through adversity. Every game, competition, or meet, athletes have to learn to understand the opposition and how they compete. This predicament is helping many athletes to rediscover the drive and how to keep up with their sport, along with reviving the love that they held for it when they were younger.