Recently, Kansas students found out that they would not be returning to school for the rest of the year. With this news, spring athletes had to say goodbye to their seasons which had not even started. For seniors, this meant letting go of a season most of them waited to play for years. 

Softball

The varsity softball team had four seniors that were planning on playing this season. The team had just recently started practices on the week of March 9. 

“The cancellation hit me really hard and I felt that it was a little premature, but I understand it was for the good of all,” senior Lindy Milkowski said.

Coach Olerich helped celebrate her seniors by giving them baskets filled with notes from coaches, and small gifts on what would’ve been senior night Monday, April 27.

“I had such high hopes for us this season because we had a really good hitting team and very good defense,” Milkowski said. “I just wish we had the chance to showcase our skills. I am very sad I didn’t get a proper goodbye to my teammates and coaches.”

Baseball

The baseball team had just finished up tryouts when school ended, and athletes were getting settled into their new teams for the season.

“I was obviously devastated by the fact that they canceled it so soon and not seeing it through,” senior PJ Alvarez said. “I also believed that this would’ve been our year to make a deep run into the season with all of our experience we had on our team.”

The varsity team was planning on opening their season at Johnson County Community College on March 27 against Saint James Academy.

“I find that kind of sad because we never got the chance to make that run because we all believed as a team we would’ve made it far, possibly winning state,” Alvarez said.

Swimming

Girls swim and dive team was just starting off their season with 37 girls on the team.

“When I first heard that everything was canceled it came as a huge shock,” senior Kayla Hazen said. “I had looked forward to breaking personal records, growing with the team, and making lasting memories during my last swim season.”

The team had gotten two weeks of practices in and were planning practices over spring break to prepare for their first meet on March 26.

“It’s hard to think about all of the missed opportunities but I hold on to the fact that God has a plan and purpose and I know that it’s good,” Hazen said.

Soccer

The girls soccer team had done a lot of their season very early on. They had already taken pictures and had many practices.

“The cancellation of the season was super hard on me,” senior Elle Kimball said. “The word devastation is an understatement. I think all of us seniors were pretty heart broken.”

The seven seniors on the team were all planning on playing their first game on March 26 at CBAC against Mill Valley.

“I’ve been looking forward to playing this season for the past four years, and for it to be taken from us that quickly was just an awful thing to experience,” Kimball said. “We were looking to give Olathe West girls soccer our first state title. Having that opportunity taken away has been really hard for all of us.”

Track and Field

Track even had an early start to the season, starting their conditioning in mid-February.

“I had so many hopes for the season including breaking my school record again, getting closer with more people on the team, and training with other girls on the track team to triple jump with me,” senior Olivia Goebel said.

All the athletes on the team were training for their running and field events for their first meet, which would have been March 27 for the Varsity Invitational.

“I was looking forward to my ‘lasts’ for track that I won’t have now,” Goebel said. “I’ve learned how to deal with the heartache, but it’s nice that I’ve had supportive coaches that still support us and give extra love to us seniors who won’t have a senior spring sport experience.”