Coronavirus causes William T. Dwyer High School to cancel its baseball season
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — It felt like a normal season for the William T. Dwyer High School baseball team, who had started the season with an 8–4 record. However, the tragic news of the novel coronavirus entering the United States had sent the season into an abrupt ending.
On Mar 12, 2020, the team received word that their season would end just two days later, as they would end their season with one last game on the 14th.
“When we heard [the season would be canceled], I wanted to end on a high note so bad and went out onto the field with all I had,” said Troy Novak, a freshman pitcher for Dwyer’s junior varsity baseball team.
“Coach went with me as the starting pitcher for the last game and I went in and threw two perfect innings. I don’t believe the news distracted us but gave us another reason to give that game all we had,” he continued.
The panthers would fall 2–0 to the Palm Beach Gardens High School gators 2–0 to wrap up their season.
Although it wasn’t a distraction that day, the season being canceled didn’t come as a surprise for freshman pitcher AJ Rawicz.
“I’d say it was all expected,” said Rawicz. “We all knew our days were numbered once cases started popping up in Florida, and later Palm Beach County, so it was expected.”
This decision had also come just one day after the sports world stopped when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was tested positive for the coronavirus as his teammates were just moments from starting a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Once his test result was confirmed to be positive, the writing was on the wall as the NBA suspended its season and the NHL and MLB were soon to follow, leading high school and college sports to the same fate.
“Although I didn’t know the seniors well, seeing the end of their careers happen so abruptly was one of the most disappointing parts for me,” said Novak. “It might be the last time they play baseball and thinking about the number of hours they put into it really makes this situation tragic,” he added.
With the spread of the coronavirus, social distancing has been put in place, moving classes online and closing down many facilities which players would use to prepare for the season, but that hasn’t stopped the Dwyer players for preparing for the 2021 season.
Novak has been going to a local park to keep his arm warm despite the measures to keep residents inside, while Rawicz has been going to his community gym to keep his body ready. Rawicz has made it a habit to wash his hands before and after his trips to the gym in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.
The focus is now on next season for Rawicz and Novak, as they look to take the next step and make the varsity team next season.
“It stinks now. It sucks for all of the players,” Rawicz said, “But we’re all working every day during this long offseason, hopefully, more than other teams, so I think [the extended offseason] can be a benefit going forward.”
