One year ago, Joe Heinz was one of several candidates to become the CIF-San Diego Section commissioner, following Jerry Schniepp, who would officially retire in July.
Things were all set up.
When Heinz’s selection was announced Feb. 11, 2020, he figured he had the section winter championships plus the entire spring to acclimate to the job. On-the-job training at its best for the then coordinator of athletics in the Sweetwater Union High School District.
The smiles soon disappeared, and there has been nothing even resembling “normal” since for Heinz.
COVID-19, hit faster than anyone could have imagined. Although the section winter playoffs managed to squeak in, several state championships were canceled heading into the title matches.
And just as quickly, spring sports along with classroom education as it had been known forever, were shut down. Campuses, including fields and gymnasiums across the county, were eerily empty and it seemed almost every month hoped-for restarts were dashed.
By July, even the faintest thoughts of returning to normalcy in September were mostly dismissed as another surge in COVID-19 cases hit the county.
And now, as his one-year anniversary passed, Heinz is finally seeing a return to athletics — on a limited basis for cross country, swimming/diving and field hockey — becoming a reality.
Like looking at acres and acres of land to plow for crops, you have to start small and hope that storms, in this case increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, don’t wipe out the hopes and dreams of thousands of student-athletes.
“It has been monumental, a year like no other,” said Heinz, who has had to explain to parents, teachers and students alike that while high school sports are extremely important, physically and mentally, he must follow guidelines and wait to take action until the health risks are greatly diminished.
He’s aware that students in the under-20 group, as a whole, have not been nearly as affected as the elderly because they have stronger immune systems, but there is concern that these same students could take the virus home and infect other age groups.
Thus, the almost 100 percent shutdown in San Diego and across the state. That ended last week when more than a dozen cross country dual meets were be held, including six in East County. South County will start on Friday, Feb. 26, with a pair of duals.
“I couldn’t be happier that we’re finally getting athletics up and running again. We’re looking forward to some semblance of a season, even if it’s modified.”
Greatly modified.
First, cross country, swim/dive and field hockey are fortunate to be in the purple tier, the least restrictive of the four tiers.
Upcoming Season 2 sports in the purple tier are golf, tennis and track and field, which also kick off this month. The next least-restrictive tier, red, has baseball, girls lacrosse and softball. Orange tier sports are football, gymnastics, boys lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and water polo. The yellow tier, which has not been achieved in the county since the tiers were announced late last year based on cases per 100,000 population, would allow basketball, wrestling and cheer.
So, the hope is the numbers of cases drop dramatically but clearly some sports are still in jeopardy.
Even the always upbeat Heinz realizes that despite multiple vaccines now circulating, it will be weeks, maybe even months, before the numbers get low enough to have those other sports.
On the plus side, though, those Season 2 sports that are set to start soon — track and field, golf, tennis — have a better than average chance of getting in a full season. Some of the other Season 2 sports might have to consolidate their seasons.
State championships in the Season 1 category have been eliminated and the CIF office is still holding out hope for section championships. All of the Season 2 sports’ section and state championships are still scheduled.
The sports that were able to start Feb. 8 have the advantage of being outdoor activities where social distancing is possible.
“There will be limitations, even on those sports now starting,” said Heinz, referring to the state blueprint that requires masks to be worn when not competing and social distancing where a 6-foot radius is built in.
“The goal is seeing games with kids playing again, even on a modified level. There might restrictions on the number of spectators and how we run events. Health and safety come first, but we have seen it work in other states, and we’ve studied what they’ve done.”
For example, Arizona had a full fall schedule, including football, but the stands were virtually empty, snack bars shut down and every possible precaution taken.
“The key right now for the sports we can have is to be flexible and make it work,” Heinz said. “We’ll have some difficult challenges and decisions in every area, and to say we’re anxious to get going is an understatement.
“Some districts and some schools might have specific problems. Schools do not have to have on-campus learning for athletic teams to participate, but the hope, of course, is a gradual return to the classroom, too.”
During the lull in activities, the section has lined up a new office although currently all the administration is remote.
Still, Heinz remains as upbeat as possible.
“It’s a start, there is some movement — finally,” he said.
Steve Brand is a freelance writer.
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