PERRY, Ga. — With efforts to contain COVID-19 underway, sports associations, including the GHSA and GISA, are shutting down spring sports for the foreseeable future. That means for a lot of kids, especially seniors, this week might have been their last playing the sport they love.
Westfield baseball senior Nathan Childers said the last week has been a whirlwind for him and his teammates.
"[It's] definitely unexpected. It's tough for all the seniors just not knowing whether we're going to be able to come back out here and play again," Childers said.
The coronavirus pandemic postponed or canceled major sporting events like The Masters, baseball's College World Series, and the NCAA March Madness tournament.
Westfield Athletic Director Chip Champion said it only makes sense for high school associations like the GISA to follow suit.
"Athletics will be shut down until April 10. Hopefully, if all this stuff will die down maybe a little bit earlier, but for right now at the earliest April 10," Champion said.
Per The Westfield School's policy, spring teams will still be able to practice as long as school is in session, but even that will be reduced. Champion knows his upperclassmen got a raw deal.
"I think they understand there's not anything you can do about it. You have to make the best of a bad situation," Champion said. "Hopefully we'll get to resume play at some point and get them back on the field, but obviously their health, the health of the Westfield family, and everybody around is first and foremost."
Friday's match up with Piedmont Academy was the last game Westfield will play until the April 10 deadline.
The school recognized the seniors of both teams before the game. It gave Childers and others at least one last chance to stand in the spotlight.
"It means a lot. I've been playing baseball since I was four," Childers said. "This could be my last game ever. All the seniors can feel me when I talk about this, but it means a lot to be out here, for sure, with all these guys, especially this team."
Childers and company made the most of their last opportunity, beating Piedmont, 9-3. Childers had four strikeouts on the mound.
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