Palos Verdes High School is not only well known for its academics, faculty, and location, but also its dominant sports programs. 

In typical years our sports programs would be in full swing between training frequently during their class periods, on their own, and even venturing out as a team to compete together in pre-season tournaments in hopes of bettering themselves and getting more prepared for their prospective seasons. 

Pre-season sports are normally a busy time filled with the hours of hard work that counts. 

Teams and individuals getting themselves physically and mentally ready to excel at their sport or sports of choice. 

However, 2020 is no normal year; gone are the group workout sessions and multiple tournaments. 

Such familiar routines have been replaced by largely working out individually or in small pods.

Multiple out of state tournaments have been replaced by single in state tournaments. Student athletes handle their “zoom” schedule as they try to improve on the sports they love.

With all the delays and guidelines everyone has to follow in order to return to our sports safely, PVHS athletes have learned this year more than ever to adapt and navigate around these crazy times while continuing to get better at their craft.

With these continued restrictions, our sports teams are working the best they can to prepare for the season. 

Striving for a sense of normalcy, many PVHS sports are signing up to compete in pre-season tournaments like they do every year, while others are finding it too difficult due to COVID-19 and its roadblocks. 

“Our coach has mentioned that he signed us up for tournaments that could possibly happen if we get cleared but for now we are not [cleared],” sophomore varsity girls basketball player Mafalda Corral said. 

“But with the circumstances I don’t think we will be able to play in as many tournaments this year, if we can even go back,” she said.  

Even spring sport teams are starting to think they too won’t have a pre-season. 

“Right now we are signed up for two but I don’t think they’ll actually happen. One is supposed to be in California and the other in Arizona,” senior varsity lacrosse player Brad Sharp said.

Many athletes at PVHS whose team competes in these pre- season tournaments believe that doing so helps prepare them greatly for their seasons.

“Definitely, we have to get locked in the zone if we want to do good in season,” Corral said. 

Many other athletes agree.

“I think they do, it challenges us and prepares us for in-season games,” junior soccer player Stella McKay said.

However in pre-season tournaments, sports teams are allowed to compete as a group as long as they aren’t affiliated with the school because they aren’t in season. 

“We wear our practice jerseys and compete as PV Lacrosse Club,’’ Sharp said.

Not only do pre-season tournaments help sharpen their game, but allows for team bonding which provides benefits on and off the field. 

“The trips there and back are really fun, and losing really brings us all together,” Corral said.

Nonetheless, 2020 has been a year of uncertainty to say the least and with COVID and its setbacks many athletes are left feeling unprepared for the season. 

“I do think we are underprepared, but I guess everyone is; so everyone’s in the same boat,” Sharp said. 

However, over quarantine many athletes have been training individually or with club teams unrelated to high school sports. 

“I feel pretty underprepared, but at the same time myself and others are doing a lot of club stuff too,” McKay said.