The pandemic has sidelined so many of our usual activities, but for high school athletes, the implications of no organized sports because of the coronavirus are farther-reaching than just missing a season.

For many student athletes, sports are more than just a passion or an extracurricular activity. For some, it’s the lone pathway to college, to maybe be the first in their family to go to college. For others, it’s the driving force behind staying on top of schoolwork -- failing grades mean you can’t play, but with many competitive sports on hold and students across the state learning at a distance, the struggles are amplified. And especially for senior student athletes, missing out on a whole year of competition means less tape for your highlight reel and missing out on the chance to play their final year in high school with three years of experience under their belt. Despite state guidelines that prevent high school sports competition, some schools have gone ahead and played games anyway.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll look at how the stoppage of high school sports is affecting student athletes who want to pursue a sport into college or even beyond. If you’re a student athlete, or the parent of a student athlete, we want to hear from you. How has the pandemic affected your/your child’s athletic career? Join the live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Eric Sondheimer, prep sports columnist for The Los Angeles Times; he tweets @latsondheimer