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We held out hope until the very end

Garrett Whitmore competes in the Class 3A 400-meter hurdles at the 2019 state track and field meet in Des Moines. He placed third and was the favorite to win the state title entering the 2020 season, but it was canceled on Friday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DFJ file photo/Troy Banning

Editor’s Note: We asked Webster City High School senior Garrett Whitmore — a 4.0 student and the valedictorian of the Class of 2020 — to share his thoughts on the cancellation of the remainder of the school year and the spring sports season, both of which were announced on Friday. Garrett was the state bronze medalist in the Class 3A 400-meter hurdles in 2019 and the odds on favorite to win a state title this spring. His words are honest, heartfelt and mature beyond his years.

I had always thought that 2020 would be a cool year to graduate. It has nice, round digits. It’s easy to remember. One could describe our class with our “20/20 vision” and how much potential we have because of it. By now our vision ought to be perfect; it feels like we’ve just about seen it all.

    Beginning in February, new reports grew and awareness of the coronavirus outbreak began to rise. Everyone I knew chose to ignore it. It felt like the ebola outbreak of 2014, it was so far away and it would be crazy to think that it could actually spread like that here. The only references to a real-life pandemic situation were jokes that were made to downplay its seriousness.

And then came spring break.

    The announcement that we would not be returning right after our week off felt like a slap in the face. It was a wake-up call at best, and a harbinger of this current outcome at worst. My track teammates and I couldn’t believe it.

Garrett Whitmore (left) and teammate Carson Struchen watch times go up on the scoreboard at the 2019 state track and field meet in Des Moines. DFJ file photo/Troy Banning

How could we just not come back at all?

Regardless of the circumstances, we decided to continue our training — to be prepared for anything at this point was the best strategy. Lincoln LaSourd, Kaiyu Levongkhom and I trained together every day through some of the strangest weather an Iowa spring season can throw at you. These two student-athletes deserve great credit; we worked together to keep our spirits optimistic and our bodies ready to run again, and it was great. No matter what the pessimistic headlines read, we would keep doing our thing.

Our bubble of ignorance was destroyed on Friday.

   When Governor Kim Reynolds announced the cancellation of all Iowa schools for the remainder of the semester and all spring sports, my heart dropped in sync with those of my teammates and family. We three were out on a run, and we instantly stood in awe. There aren’t words to describe the feelings of hopelessness and disappointment that follow news like that. With heavy hearts, we walked back to our cars that day.

    The pandemic finally felt real. It took everything from us without consideration for the years of grueling labor that had been dedicated to our goals for this season. Writing this nearly 24 hours later, this is still hard to swallow.

We are lucky to not have been impacted by the virus directly thus far, only indirectly. The decisions made by the government and school administration have been in good faith, and have certainly helped to ease the burden on our medical infrastructure. I appreciate their efforts to give this year’s seniors the most “normal” semester in light of the circumstances. If it means that we can save lives and keep hospital beds open that others will desperately need, our giving up our school year and spring sports season is certainly valid. 

    In a way, this disaster — which has ravaged our nation’s medical, economic, social, and academic structures — may help us out in the long run. We’ve learned how to (and how to not) respond to a global disaster. We’ve learned what it’s like to work so hard toward a goal, only to have it ripped away. We’ve been able to achieve that “20/20 vision” through a most unique experience, opening our eyes to a greater world of socioeconomic relations and political discourse.

    I want to thank every teacher, every coach, every family, and every community member that has helped our graduating class battle these challenges and get us to where we are today. Many of us rely on all of you for support and guidance every day — especially recently. I am thankful for every opportunity that this little town of 8,000 has given me. I encourage everyone to reflect on the positive things in life and to count your blessings during times like these. 

Until next time.

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