Ava Chovanec is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Chandler by AZPreps365

Chandler senior softball players are worried they will never get to play again this season because of the coronavirus.

Coach Jana Rae Slayton said she feels mostly for her seniors during this time of uncertainty.

“We have eight kids (seniors) who for the majority of those kids this was their last chance for playing,” said Slayton.

When the news broke from the Arizona Interscholastic Association that spring sports would be put on hold, Slayton and her team couldn’t help but feel disappointed, especially after its big win against Desert Ridge.

“We played on Friday, March 6 and we played a really great game, we won. We had a great outing … then this obviously kind of happened all in the middle of it, and so I think everyone is incredibly disappointed and saddened that they aren’t able to at least finish a full season,” said Slayton.

Schools have been instructed to not hold any kind of practice, gathering or meeting.

Slayton has encouraged her team to get out and play catch in the yard with either a parent or sibling, or hit if they have equipment.

Slayton and her staff have been in contact with their team regularly to make sure they’re staying safe and healthy.

“As far as me as a coach I’m kind of helpless because I can’t really do a lot. We send out messages to our kids and just let them know that we’re thinking of them and that we miss them,” said Slayton.

Chandler was on spring break just a few weeks ago. Slayton described this week as “bizarre.”

“I think this week is especially hard, because the first two weeks we were already on spring break, so it felt almost normal even though typically we’re playing, but this week now that we’re supposed to be back at school it’s feeling a little bit more real or bizarre,” said Slayton.

School is scheduled for a return of April 10. That would leave four regular season scheduled games left. Slayton isn’t sure what will happen or what the AIA will decide. She would like to see an end-of-the-season tournament where everyone could have a shot.

“I don’t know how you have a state tournament at this point. I’m just hoping somebody else has a better idea than I do because I’m still somehow hopeful that my kids will be able to play a few more games,” said Slayton.

Not only has this effected Slayton as a coach, but also as a teacher.

“Especially from a teacher standpoint, we’re right now as a staff trying to kind of figure out how we’re going to implement remote learning,” said Slayton. “The kids are kind of going through that with all their teachers as well because this is all new territory for everyone. Nobody is really sure how to do it and we just have to find a way how to do it.”

The AIA won’t be meet to discuss any future plans until school is back in session.