With the Spring I sports season coming to an end early April, BC is back for round two with the Spring II sports season. The Spring II sports season includes baseball, softball, swimming, track and field, and beach volleyball. 

Just as the Spring I sports did, the Spring II sports must follow the same BC COVID-19 guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety. There is required weekly COVID testing, everyone must wear a mask, players must bring their own water bottles, teams must social distance on the sidelines, etc. according to Brandon Urry, Program Manager of Communications for BC Athletics. 

In-person audiences are still not allowed at any games or meets per the Bakersfield College Athletics three-phase plan, which follows the Institution of High Education (IHE) and California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) guidelines. The current phase BC is in may change in the upcoming weeks, but fans are still able to view the games live from their homes on the BC athletics website gogades.com.

Having to adjust to the COVID guidelines hasn’t been easy for the Renegades, but the teams have been up for the challenge.

“None of us are used to wearing masks everywhere, so it’s been an adjustment,” stated BC’s softball head coach, Casey Goodman. “But our admin and the college has done a great job of putting protocols in place for us to be safe and still compete, and that’s the most important thing we try to remember.”

In addition to the more obvious challenges such as required masks and social distancing, team bonding has also been a challenge for the Renegades. 

The BC baseball head coach, Tim Painton explained, “It’s not that they haven’t bonded but it’s certainly different. They don’t have the opportunity to go to lunch together and they don’t have the opportunity to hang out off of the field together and those types of things are equally as important in the growth of a group in a traditional year.”

To overcome this particular challenge, Coach Goodman said they have found safe ways to get to know each other. Some of those activities include decorating their personal ice chests together and having a “question of the day” for the team to answer. 

Despite the setbacks, both Painton and Goodman are looking forward to getting back on the field with their team. 

“I’m looking forward to getting better everyday,” said Goodman. “Seeing the players have an opportunity to play, and just working hard to put us in a position to have some success.”

“Of protocols and changes to protocol, it’s certainly been a challenge. But again it’s a challenge that we’ve all accepted,” Painton stated. “I don’t want to look at it as being difficult, just different. So we’ve managed it and we’re excited to be in the position we’re in.” 

The Spring II sports’ schedules and previous game recordings are available on gogades.com