OUSD NEWSROOM |
PRESS RELEASE ![]() Oakland, CA — Almost eleven months after all OUSD schools closed to students, cutting off in-person access to the classroom and to sports, the District and the Oakland Athletic League (OAL) have restarted sports conditioning. It is not formal practice, as the athletes are just working out to get in shape, the teams run no plays, and there is no contact. But the conditioning for all athletes who register and provide a current physical is now open, allowing students a space to do things they haven’t been able to do since March of 2020: do team workouts, be around their teammates and friends, and catch up with their peers in person. “It’s great. I love it. It’s nice to talk to people my own age,” said Skyline High junior cheerleader, Jaylani Perez. ![]() Jones adds that missing sports is only part of the challenge that students everywhere have been facing. “I miss going back to school. And just looking at a screen the whole day is stressful because I don’t want to just sit at my house staring at a computer, instead of just going to regular school, and hanging out with my friends and learning.” ![]() “It helps us cope with life,” added Baires, who said Oakland has been difficult through the pandemic. “Recently a lot of things have been going on in Oakland. Deaths. Hardships. Mental challenges for us. My sport helps me cope with all that. It helps me fix myself. It’s like an escape for me.” Skyline’s Jaylani Perez was the lone cheerleader at this practice. She said she has seen the mental well-being of her friends suffer because of the pandemic. “I’ve seen it a lot, especially with my friends. You know, we’re in not so great neighborhoods, so, football and sports are our only outlet, and once you take that away from them, it kind of takes away part of them and they shut down.” ![]() “We know students have been away from school and sports for a long time,” said Franky Navarro, Commissioner of the Oakland Athletic League. “It’s great that we’ve gotten to a point in the pandemic where we can finally open our fields to this training. While it’s not actual practice, it’s still a great benefit for the athletes. Hundreds of them signed up last week, so clearly, the need for this is high throughout our community. Our coaches are happy to be here to provide the students such an important outlet.” The benefits of the workouts are obvious. Everyone at Castlemont on Thursday was thrilled to be there and just feeling a bit of normalcy for once in a very long time. The workouts will continue until they can transition to full practices, and perhaps games. Any middle school or high school athlete who wants to join can inquire with the Oakland Athletic League at [email protected]. ![]() ![]() ![]() WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Monday, February 8 WHERE: Football Field, Castlemont High School, 8601 MacArthur Blvd * Media is welcome to visit this Monday workout, but the workouts on other days and at other locations are closed to the public. Any media inquiry about a different workout must be directed to the OUSD Communications Team.###About the Oakland Unified School DistrictIn California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 81 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success. To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews. |
What do you think?