March 4, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned fall sports into winter-and-early-spring sports for most Washington high schools, including Camas and Washougal, where athletes and coaches have returned to their softball diamonds, volleyball courts and soccer pitches with great enthusiasm.
Even though the Camas and Washougal high school football teams won’t get the chance to replicate or improve upon their special 2019 campaigns this winter, players say they’re elated to return to the field for competitive play after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed their 2020 seasons by five months.
Kara Prynne never imagined that her high school coaching career would start the way it has.
The long wait is finally over for six Camas and Washougal high school sports teams.
Bill Marshall didn’t know a thing about disc golf when he was introduced to the sport by a friend in 2015. He had never really considered himself as much of an athlete. He had played “ball” golf a handful of times, but came to the conclusion that it just wasn’t for him.
Darcy Mueller joined Camas Soo Bahk Do last March, right before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the martial arts studio to close for in-person instruction, but decided to remain in her classes, which had transitioned to a remote setting.
Mike Wolfe has seen more and more new faces during his regular trips to the pickleball courts at Hathaway Park in Washougal as one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States continues to gain popularity in East Clark County.
Camas and Washougal high school runners, golfers and tennis players will return to competition in February, but the rest of the traditional fall sports athletes will have to wait a bit longer to find out when their seasons will begin.
A litany of logistical questions pop into Washougal High School boys basketball coach AJ LaBree’s mind whenever he thinks about the feasibility of high school sports teams engaging in competitive events during a deadly pandemic.
