Summer baseball continued for Central with restrictions

This summer was one for the books, but not for the reason one would think. The summer of 2020 brought forth many emotions and feelings, especially regarding sports and activities. Central baseball experienced this with the transition from socially distanced, one-hour practice slots on the football field, to having everything cancelled at the drop of a hat.  

For the baseball program, the news of sports being cancelled crushed their season that they had been preparing months for. “When I heard the news in the spring I was stunned. I never imagined a scenario like that where we basically had everything cancelled,” JV coach Joshua Bullock said. “I was very disappointed for the seniors who had worked so hard to compete and got it taken away from them for no fault of their own.”  

The spring and summer are prime months for baseball, so it was extremely difficult for Bullock and his team to stay away from the diamond, even if that meant virtually. “When we were at home it was mostly just planning and preparing for the season,” he said. “I had a lot of communication with everyone, so it wasn’t very hard.”  

At the beginning of the summer, many baseball organizations around the city, including high school baseball, spoke to Governor Pete Ricketts about reinstating baseball. This showed Ricketts the precautions that would be put in place, so he allowed the game to be played. “I believe he made the right decision, but I could see it both ways. I feel bad for the other athletes who didn’t get to play,” Bullock said.  

The preparation that led to the start of play involved many safety precautions to be regulated. This included parents not sitting on bleachers, players socially distanced in dugouts, no sunflowers seeds, no sharing water bottles, and pages more. “It was odd to be honest. We had a lot of meetings with coaches, parents, and players to follow guidelines and be able to compete safely,” Bullock said. After all guidelines were created it was time to start playing again.  

The summer finally had some normalcy for baseball players, coaches, and fans when the sun started shining and plays were being made. Bullock adds that his favorite part of the season was simply “seeing the athletes compete each and every day.”