The closure of schools and postponement of all extra-curricular activities until at least April 24 is affecting the whole community, but none more than the high school athletes who had completed weeks of practice and who were just about to start their seasons.

“We we told not to hold practices or use facilities in any way,” said Aberdeen girls tennis coach Ashley Kohlmeier.

“No paid coaching staff is able to contact kids, so we’re not able to practice with them,” said Aberdeen varsity baseball coach David Hinchen.

“It stinks for the seniors. … I really felt like we had some momentum and we were going to do some good things this year, so it’s frustrating in that sense,” Hinchen said.

Coaches and athletes are still hopeful of salvaging seasons.

“I was told by my athletic director that if we returned on the 24th, we would have five league matches remaining. We would still have Districts and State as planned,” said Aberdeen girls golf coach Dan Sundstrom.

Hinchen said the ideal plan is the same for baseball if school resumes at the end of April. The team would play five league games against their five Evergreen 2A opponents: Black Hills, Centralia, Rochester, Tumwater and WF West.

“Then we’ll do a league-wide district tournament that would be double-elimination and determine who’s going to go to our playoff from that,” he said.

In a video posted last week, Mick Hoffman, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which sets the rules for high school sports in the state, said the organization “will do everything possible” to see that spring high school state championships are held this year “without jeopardizing health and safety.”

“If we are able to return to school after April 24, we will host our state championships as scheduled,” Hoffman said in a video posted on the WIAA website. “If that gets pushed longer, we will provide updates depending on what we are hearing at that time.”

The proposed dates for the spring sports state championships are:

• May 27-28 for golf

• May 28-30 for track and field

• May 29-30 for baseball, softball, boys soccer and tennis.

The key will be the kids keeping up with their personal workout schedules during the closure, Hinchen said.

“Not losing any of the gains that we were able to make in those first two weeks (of practice). I felt like we were in a pretty good groove. The boys have really taken responsibility, and I’m hoping that they continue that. I guess we’ll be able to tell who continues to do the work when we get back,” he added.

“To be honest with you, I think we have the best player in the league,” Hinchen said, talking about senior Aberdeen pitcher Eli Brown.

“I’m a first-year coach and I really don’t know how good the teams are in the league, but I know that we have some pretty special kids,” Hinchen said.

“I think us in a one-game playoff could play with anybody, so hopefully it comes down to that,” he said.

Brian Hollatz, boys track coach at Montesano, put workouts for his athletes online. He hopes they’re doing them and says “kids are pretty resilient” but they can’t use school facilities so it’s tough for some events, especially for the jumpers and throwers. His own son Brent is a pole vaulter so he’s got no way to actually practice vaulting.

Hollatz says that if school restarts there’s a chance of getting in three meets before an all-league meet and then the coaches would have to decide on a way of determining qualifications for the state meet.

He feels especially bad for the seniors. “A lot of kids put in a lot of work over the years, my son being one of them.” Brent Hollatz came close to qualifying last year. “I thought this was his opportunity to make it … and he was supposed to play in the all-state football game (this summer) and who knows if that is going to happen.”