Senior athletes being honored despite shutdown

The COVID-19 pandemic that closed schools also cut short many high school athletes’ dreams of a championship trophy, medal or season-ending celebration with teammates.

But several coaches and others are finding ways to lift senior athletes’ spirits.

“This is my 30th year in education, and I’ve coached every year,” said Jim Dinkel, a teacher and coach at Desert Oasis High School. “To not be able to see the finality of the season is really difficult. We’re trying to accentuate the positive and make them understand the mark they made on the program is great.”

Dinkel and his wife, Cindy, are both teachers. Between them, they coach six sports at Desert Oasis, and they have taken steps to bring a smile to the athletes’ faces.

They distributed the medals that would have been handed out at a track and field meet Desert Oasis hosts. They also had poker chips made with the school’s Diamondback logo and “Strike at every opportunity” etched on them.

“Every kid has a different idea of what a senior year should look like, and this isn’t it for any of them,” Cindy Dinkel said. “We wanted to see what we could do to make it a little less painful. We’ve gotten a lot of text messages and a lot of notes of appreciation, but it’s a small gesture.”

The Dinkels said they have seen a few of their students — including Endya Scott, last year’s state runner-up in the 400-meter dash, who told them she took a scholarship to run at Alcorn State — and their parents who happened to be outside when they delivered congratulatory signs.

The combination of the gesture and getting to see one another has led to “a lot of tears,” Jim Dinkel said.

Centennial softball coach Mike Livreri said Debby VanEykeren has served like a team mom for the Bulldogs since her daughter was a freshman in 2004. As Livreri’s contact with the city of Waco, VanEykeren has helped grow the Spring Jamboree tournament, which began with eight teams in 2008 to as many as 44, and they come from all over the country.

VanEykeren said the situation for the whole team, herself and Livreri included, of not being able to have a softball season or even be around one another is “pretty disheartening.”

“I’m sure we’ll all get together with the team when we can meet up again and do a celebration at my house so they can all be together one more time,” VanEykeren said.

Turning to technology

At The Meadows, athletic director Claude Grubair has been overseeing social media tributes to each athlete. He’s also putting together a framed varsity letter and a commemorative video keepsake for the seniors.

Green Valley created a signing-day ceremony to honor athletes who will go on to play at the next level. Liberty athletic director Rich Muraco said the student council arranged a senior night at the football field where the athletes drove around and were recognized.

Coronado has taken on a similar plan, with each sport having its own virtual senior night on Instagram. Track coach and athletic director Tyrell Cooper said he reached out to all of his track and field athletes and asked them to make a video (up to a minute in length) naming those they wanted to thank and some of their favorite memories.

Also, taking a cue from Spring Valley, Coronado planned a senior parade.

“Some of our sports are doing the recognition there,” Cooper said. “We’ve got banners with the kids’ pictures on them, and our assistant principal for activities (had) kids driving around the block.”

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.