Following up from last year’s Valley Championship, the Selma High Football team has been trying to take upon their ongoing spirit of dedication to the sport they love even through this pandemic.

Just as the team had reached their peak of the season and ended as Valley Champs,the team was hit hard due to all sports being cancelled. This caused new obstacles that the team has to face and overcome. With a new schedule and new ways to cope with distance practices, the team still keeps a grind going. 

To Selma High varsity offensive tackle, plus defensive end Todd Weaver, these past months have been a great amount of adjusting from ways to workout with one another to practice. 

“Since quarantine I’ve been working out with a couple guys. We have a whole gym rack of barbells,” states Weaver. “Monday plus fridays are maximum while tuesday and thursday are dynamic.”

Even though the team isn’t able to work out in the high school’s weight room they were able to figure out a way around that obstacle. They took it upon themselves as dedicated student athletes, making their own weight room. 

“We practice at 6:30am in pods of I think 10-12 guys,” explains Weaver. “There are three different pods out on the practice field but the pods don’t mix.”

Practices are set so everyone is distanced and there is no touching. Football, however is a contact sport, this has been a great obstacle since in a real game contact is needed. The team keeps high hopes and works hard everyday to continue outdoing themselves. Even with following state guidelines, they continue to be the student athletes they have always been. 

Besides being student athletes each player on the team has personal goals for the future. While some may include football, and others may not, each student athlete has thought about their future. For Todd Weaver his plans consist of growing and going into college.

“I’d love to get a scholarship for football and major in Ag business, meanwhile I’d try to work for PG&E,” Weaver says.

Looking onwards for the future of the team, hopes of being able to play this season are high. Knowing they have the team to bring home another Valley Championship ring, with their dedication and drive of the sport. 

“I really hope we have a season. It’s our senior year, me and my class have been dreaming about this season since we were kids,” explains Weaver. “I hope we get to play out our senior year together and win another ring, we have the team to do it.” 

High hopes are spread throughout the team making sure that even if there isn’t a season they still keep on their grind.