Vox pop: How are CSUSB athletes staying in shape during the pandemic?

CSUSB student athletes tell us whether or not the pandemic has made it difficult for them to stay in shape. 

Photos of the student athletes were provided by the CSUSB Athletics department.

Justine Ziranda – Cross Country; Senior, Art Education Major

“Being on both the cross country and track and field team have been very different and difficult during this time. Having your teammates next to you every practice motivates you to do better, and we don’t have that right now. Running on our own can only do so much for us. We like competing and seeing our progress over time. Running on our own doesn’t give us the push that most of us need. But to stay positive, I’ve made one of my siblings my running and workout buddy to stay in shape during this time. I also stay in contact with my teammates so we can compare what we are doing to stay on track together even though we are apart.”

Jackson Gilmore – Baseball; Masters in Business Administration

“It’s been borderline impossible to get a good workout in. It’s difficult to prepare my body for competition without the necessary tools to do so. Without a weight room, the majority of a workout is body weight movements. This has forced me to rely on throwing and running to stay in shape. Although I do what I can, it definitely feels like something is missing in my preparation.”

Alexis Cardoza – Volleyball; Senior, Psychology Major

“I think it’s absolutely been more difficult to stay in shape during this pandemic. Not only has there been a lack of access to equipment, but my daily schedule also lacks structure. This lack of structure means that working out is now completely on me. I don’t have a coach or stretch coach there to ensure I’m staying in shape. The self accountability aspect of exercising has been more challenging to me than anything.”

Diego Womack – Men’s Basketball; Redshirt Senior, Communications Major

“It’s been more difficult to stay in shape during the pandemic, especially since our arena and things like that are all closed down. Those were pretty much our main resources. I feel like it all depends on where I am. Living on campus makes it extremely difficult because there’s no mandatory workouts or access to use the gym whenever we want. When I’m home in Tennessee, like during the holidays, it’s not as difficult because I have access to way more stuff, so staying in shape is way easier when I’m home. The laws in Tennessee are different than California and our zone isn’t as hot, so our gyms are still open with a required mask. I’ve taken a lot of steps to make workouts easier at home. Working out isn’t the hard part for me, but doing it from inside your home is difficult because there’s less tools to use and nobody is pushing me to do it like they would normally.”

Maame Banahene – Track and Field, Sophomore, Criminal Justice Major

“It’s been a lot harder to stay in shape during the pandemic than it was before, especially without having equipment available or having a coach watch over and help us stay motivated. I’ve been doing home workouts, staying healthy, and doing the best I can to keep up with training on my own.”

Mark Williams – Golf, Redshirt Senior, Sociology Major

“At first, it was difficult because we went from being in a routine to being stuck at home. After a while, I figured out how to keep myself occupied and took up mountain biking, which really helps me stay in shape and is COVID friendly. Luckily, with golf, you never have to get too close to other people so I’ve been able to continue practicing during the very extended break.”

Kaylee Williamson – Softball, Senior, Health Science Major

“It’s been really difficult for me to stay in shape for softball during this pandemic. I’ve had little motivation to do anything and it’s been really hard for me to stay active. Since we still hope to have a season this year, I needed to find ways to make practicing and working out easier. I took small steps at first to build back that motivation. I’m starting to walk a couple miles every few days, then I’ll run and try to lift weights. Since the gyms are closed again, it’s been really hard for me to workout at home. I know I need to keep going and push myself as much as I can during this time.”

Frank Daroma – Men’s Soccer, Sophomore, Kinesiology Major

“COVID-19 has made staying in shape really hard because, for soccer, I actually need to go out and train. With the current situation we are in right now, I’ve been trying to listen to lots of podcasts and motivational videos just to keep me focused and make it easier before I start working out again.”

Valerie Warren – Women’s Soccer, Junior, Liberal Studies Major

“The pandemic has made it  pretty difficult to stay in shape and train on my own. I’m used to having teammates to train with and coaches to hold me accountable. Overall, I feel like I have been doing a pretty good job using what I have at home to workout. The most important step I’ve been taking is just staying consistent.”

Nina Wallace – Women’s Basketball, Sophomore, Kinesiology Major

“It’s been pretty difficult staying in shape due to the pandemic. I haven’t played in an indoor basketball gym since March. So, to make my working out easier, I’ve practiced at a park and I’ve done different body workouts at home with what I have available. Even though I only have a few weights, I’ve been very resourceful at home.”