BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Last week the California Community College Athletic Association, which governs Bakersfield College, ruled that its schools would push all of their sports seasons to the spring and early on Friday the board met again to detail a plan for what sports activity would look like for the CCCAA teams moving forward.
Friday's meeting only lasted 40 minutes when it was set to last three hours, leaving many questioning what the details of the contingency plan of moving the sports to spring would like, including those at Bakersfield College.
"I was hoping today to actually get some idea on how they see the contingencies plan going into effect from the CCCAA and more of the confidence that we will have spring sports, you know, we will do this in the spring. I left that meeting today really questioning that," Reggie Bolton, Bakersfield College Athletic Director said.
In the county's current state, BC will continue its team workouts in preparation for a spring season and make use of the extra time with the student-athletes. Something first-year head coach R. Todd Littlejohn is getting accustomed to.
"Even though we don't have football. And, I'm not just quote, a football coach, as my job entails a lot, you know, both on and off the field. So now is just an opportunity to focus on the off the field stuff, you know, as we move forward so, trust me I got plenty to do." BC Head Football Coach Littlejohn said with a laugh.
For the Kern County high schools, they will get their answer about a fall sports season on Monday from the California Interscholastic Federation. As the counties two private schools, Bakersfield Christian and Garces Memorial were the only ones able to return to on-campus workouts this summer as the Kern High School District and other county districts await the CIF's decision all school's, though, waiting in uncertainty.
"That's where some of the hard part comes in just not knowing just. If they kind of give like here are two options would be a little bit better but really not really knowing any idea what they're going to do is hard," BCHS volleyball coach Matt Touchstone said.
"Because right now it's just maybe it'll happen maybe it won't. And that's not a good position to be in for an athlete or a coach or a parent," KHSD Director of School Support Services Stan Greene said.
Another thing most everyone can agree upon is that this year is something these athletes will surely learn from.
"The beauty of sports though is it teaches you how to handle adversity, right, it teaches you to adapt it teaches you to overcome. It teaches you how to get through obstacles," Greene said.
"Well, now we can kind of slow down a little bit and work on some of the things sometimes that we skip over because we're just in a rush to get ready to play. And now go back and try to help our student-athletes be full, full rounded and whole student-athletes," Bolton said.
Meanwhile, Cal State Bakersfield is also waiting to hear what the decision for their return will be from its conference, the Big West, and the NCAA in the upcoming weeks as well.
