The Class of 2024 Holds a Unique Place in History
With no grand exit or a proper welcome, they are ready to have their chance
Mike Brohard
As a group, they will hold a unique place in history.
An ending stripped. A beginning greatly altered. Meet the Class of 2024.
They are the collection of high school seniors who didn’t even really get a chance to enjoy senioritis. A lot of them didn’t even reach spring break before classes became a remote activity due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Counting down the days was reserved more for the immediate stay-at-home orders, not graduation.
Many of them did not get to attend their senior prom. State-championship events were cancelled. Some of them didn’t get to experience a proper graduation – watching a slide show on a computer doesn’t count. All the wonderful moments they were told they would cherish, the big days they waited for, were gone forever.
And who knew, as they were about to embark on their collegiate paths, not much has changed. Orientation was not done by walking around the Colorado State campus, but remotely, from their room. They didn’t see the Oval, the rec center, classrooms in person. They were images on a screen. Ram Welcome wasn’t a chance to gather with other freshmen, as it, too, was on the computer. Monday marked the first day of classes, some of them still being conducted online.
This past weekend, the idea of making new friends and becoming comfortable with their new surroundings was done with a dose of caution, at a safe, social distance while wearing a mask. What is the word when the surreal doesn’t seem to end?
“We missed prom, graduation, senior season, senior night – all of the good second-semester senior stuff,” incoming softball freshman Maya Matsubara said. “It was memorable. We’ll never forget this for our whole life.
“I was mad at first. I was mad and sad. But really, reality says there’s nothing we can do about it. There’s no point being mad or being angry about it. It’s good to accept it, move forward and use it as fuel for the next season.”
Some of Colorado State’s newest residents arrive as student-athletes, their sport a major factor in why they chose to call Fort Collins home. They come to test themselves against the next set of challenges, ready to compete, to apply themselves. And still, that is on hold, too.
I think I’ve come to terms with a lot of it, that this is how the world is now and you just have to take what you can get. At least I’m on campus. This is the best I can ask for.Anika Johnson, Swimmer
In the Mountain West, there will be no fall sports played. There will be no fall competition for the softball and tennis players, the swimmers and divers. Basketball is still in a holding pattern for the non-conference season which traditionally begins in November.
There can be good and bad found in the situation. There is the chance to acclimate to college life without the extra pressures of being ready for competition. The flip side is that’s a big reason why they’re here, to prove their worth on a bigger stage.
“I would say yes and no. I would say it is nice not having to worry about some things immediately when I get to college and get a little extra time to settle into school. I can work on my game and get to know the atmosphere out in Colorado, so that will be nice,” freshman men’s golfer Gunnar Broin said. “I’d also say I will miss it, because I’m a very competitive person and I was looking forward to competing against the team and try to make a roster spot, looking forward to traveling. That’s a bit of a bummer, so it’s yes and no. There are both positives and negatives to it.
“They have a very good program, and I’d do anything to be on that team and compete with all of them.”
He knows half of the roster will not be on campus when he arrives from Minnesota. Again, pros and cons. He really wants to get to know his teammates. He wants to practice with them, play against them and grow his game. But he also figures it will give him more time with coaches Christian Newton and Parker Edens to develop a relationship he knows will be paramount to his success.
The way he is approaching the situation, that’s more one-on-one instruction for him as he adapts to the collegiate game from two quality instructors.
But there’s the other part of feeling alone coaches will worry about. What is still undecided is how much practice time will be allowed. It could be the 8 hours of an offseason, or maybe the 20 allowed in season. The football team found out it will get 12 for a stint, no contact, five hours of instruction with a ball and two days off a week. Still, more questions, all concerning a group of youngsters away from home. Some far away.
That also means less time around the team, time for freshmen to become one of the gang. Softball coach Jen Fisher said part of it has already been lost this week. She has seen it firsthand, and the parent aspect drives the point further home for her. What her program did in the summer time was set up regular Zoom meetings for the team. She’s also found a personal phone call is carrying more weight these days than a text.
Why? There’s less personal contact taking place without some of the normal team activities.
“I think they’re being tested even more. What we normally would do to be to really have a ton of contact with those freshmen,” Fisher said. “The last few days as they were moving in, our upperclassmen would be going over and saying hello, talking to parents and making them feel comfortable and welcome. None of that is really possible right now. It adds to the whole potential feeling of I’m alone here.
“Normally we’d take them on a hike, and we would have occasional team meals. It’s going to be very difficult for us to do that, so we have to get creative and find other ways.”
Matsubara considers herself a positive person. She’s rooming with a teammate, Ashley York. That’s a good first step. A few other steps away are fellow freshmen softball players, all in the same dorm, all in consecutive rooms.
Team bonding will take place. She’s positive.
“It will be a good experience,” she said.
Obviously, I’m not going to let anything try to ruin it, but it feels a little weird, and it’s going to take a little getting used to. I hear all these things, then I don’t get to do them. I just have to be patient and have a good attitude about it.Gunnar Broin, Men's Golfer
At this point, positivity helps. The idea of being angry about the turn of events has passed. Swimmer Anika Johnson was mad about what was lost her senior year, and she was upset with the way she watched the country handle the pandemic. It’s hard to harbor those feelings for too long. To her, it just didn’t feel healthy mentally.
In that regard, she’s turned a corner. The bright side? She is on campus. She has that, even if there are no fall meets. She’s here, and she’ll happily accept whatever practice schedule is allowed. The plan turned in by coach Christopher Woodard is still being examined by the Pandemic Preparedness Team on campus.
“I think I’ve come to grips with it, especially certain aspects,” Johnson said. “In a lot of ways, I don’t know what I was missing my senior year, because I had never experienced graduation. Over the summer, I was surprised CSU was still doing in-person learning. I kept waiting for that email that you’re all staying home. I think I’ve come to terms with a lot of it, that this is how the world is now and you just have to take what you can get. At least I’m on campus. This is the best I can ask for.”
Well, one other thing: To make sure she can stay.
What she does know moving forward is she will do her part. She doesn’t carry the same confidence with the rest of the student body. Some people are more concerned about the virus than others, and that she’s seen.
“I’m pretty concerned about it. I don’t really know anyone yet, but right now, I’m limiting my social life to the team,” she said. “I’m definitely going to do my part to stay safe on campus, but it’s weird. It’s not all up to me, and everyone has to do their part and I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I guess we’ll see.”
A few weeks back, Marc Matsubara was concerned about his daughter heading to school during a pandemic. Now he’s not. He figures she’s safer in Colorado than back home when comparing outbreak numbers.
He feels comfortable with the steps the university has taken, so his only concern in heading home was remaining stoic when waving goodbye. He’s coached his daughter, and as he put it, “it’s like I’m losing part of my breath.”
“Honestly, my feelings have changed dramatically in the last couple of weeks,” he said. “Our home state, Hawaii, is probably in the worst surge in the U.S. right now. At first, there’s some apprehension, there’s some fear for the safety of your own kid. We’re actually in a safer place right now. It’s full-on red back in Hawaii right now. Here seems normal, except everyone is wearing masks.”
This is a different time and place in history. In talking with their newest recruits, coaches are sensing some of them have developed a greater resiliency considering how their lives have been changed.
Most of them don’t know what they’ve missed. They pictured a graduation, but took those steps on stage. They envisioned what going to college was like, and while it wasn’t like this, it is at least still happening.
And they hope. Eventually games and meets and matches will take place. They’ll just have to be patient. If anything, they’ve come equipped with the skill, ready for the next bend in the road they couldn’t foresee.
“I don’t know exactly what I’m going to get yet,” Broin said. “I don’t know what to expect. Just getting there and not being able to have a season is just going to feel a little bit weird. Obviously, I’m not going to let anything try to ruin it, but it feels a little weird, and it’s going to take a little getting used to. I hear all these things, then I don’t get to do them. I just have to be patient and have a good attitude about it.”
The Class of 2024 could be a dour group. Promises have not been kept. There was no grand exit, and a proper introduction was not forthcoming. But they are here, and for a spell, that wasn’t a guarantee, either.
They will take what they can get, but patience is wearing thin. When world opens up again, they insist, they’ll be ready to seize the moment.
We missed prom, graduation, senior season, senior night – all of the good second-semester senior stuff. It was memorable. We’ll never forget this for our whole life.Maya Matsubara, Softball Player
This is a different time and place in history. In talking with their newest recruits, coaches are sensing some of them have developed a greater resiliency considering how their lives have been changed.
Most of them don’t know what they’ve missed. They pictured a graduation, but took those steps on stage. They envisioned what going to college was like, and while it wasn’t like this, it is at least still happening.
And they hope. Eventually games and meets and matches will take place. They’ll just have to be patient. If anything, they’ve come equipped with the skill, ready for the next bend in the road they couldn’t foresee.
“I don’t know exactly what I’m going to get yet,” Broin said. “I don’t know what to expect. Just getting there and not being able to have a season is just going to feel a little bit weird. Obviously, I’m not going to let anything try to ruin it, but it feels a little weird, and it’s going to take a little getting used to. I hear all these things, then I don’t get to do them. I just have to be patient and have a good attitude about it.”
The Class of 2024 could be a dour group. Promises have not been kept. There was no grand exit, and a proper introduction was not forthcoming. But they are here, and for a spell, that wasn’t a guarantee, either.
They will take what they can get, but patience is wearing thin. When world opens up again, they insist, they’ll be ready to seize the moment.