“Chelsea High track gave me a sense of family”
With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the closure of schools across the state for the remainder of the 2020 school year, the Chelsea High athletic season also was canceled, taking away from the members of the senior class the opportunity to compete for the last time in a Red Devil uniform.
The Chelsea Record invited the coaches and members of the CHS spring sports teams from the Class of 2020 to reflect on the season that so abruptly was taken away from them in order to give these young athletes some of the recognition that they deserve.
We also asked that they provide some insight into what it means to be a Chelsea High varsity athlete and briefly to discuss their plans for the future.
We are certain that our readers will be as impressed as we were with these outstanding young men and women and join us in wishing them the best in their future endeavors:
The Record will continue to publish additional comments from the athletes and coaches as we receive them.
Jazmany Reyes, Boys Track Captain
The Chelsea High track team has been a commitment that I was proudly involved in for the past four years, along with the Chelsea High cross country team. It saddens me greatly that our outdoor track season ended, for a lot of my teammates, including myself, were seeing such great improvement and we were ready to continue growing as a team.
For the past four years, participating in such a difficult sport has allowed me to recognize my mental strengths and weaknesses as a person. Dedication, self discovery, and partnership were almost new concepts to me as a young child heading into high school with the pressure of independence.
I learned that you have to reach your inner breaking points not only to improve, but also to recognize the potential that you can reach even if you believe that you can’t obtain it.
Chelsea High track gave me a sense of family that I can’t seem to find within other teams. It was a second home for me and for my peers, where we all enforced a connection with one another.
As for the future, I plan to continue my journey with the Framingham Rams at Framingham State University for the upcoming years. I’m extremely excited for what happens next.