Club Athletes Concerned About College Prospects Due To Event Cancelations

On Wednesday, the OSSAA decided high school sports will continue as usual in Oklahoma, but club athletes have their own concerns.

Coaches said athletes who are hoping to get on college teams are worried about getting noticed by recruiters because of changes due to COVID-19.

"Recently we've been impacted because the college coaches can't recruit the players," said Kerry Shubert, general manager for Soccer City Tulsa.

"A lot of them are wanting to go to college and perform past the high school level," said Missy McCaw-Frette.

Missy McCaw-Frette is club director at Ultimate Performance Volleyball in Jenks.

She said their kids have been playing since May, but she's worried their big tournaments won't happen this year.

"We're not at the forefront in Oklahoma as the volleyball mecca, so it's hard to get kids looked at here. Normally we have to travel outside," said McCaw-Frette.

Kerry Shubert is the general manager at Soccer City Tulsa and a director for West Side Alliance Club soccer. He said he's also worried for his players who are trying to get noticed by college team coaches. 

"All the summer showcase events got cancelled," said Shubert. "That's where the coaches are. The kids are in a holding pattern."

He said COVID-19 hasn't impacted their enrollment, it's just made it harder for players to know where they'll go next.

"It's hard for players to commit if they can't see the school," Shubert said. "It's hard for a coach to commit if they can't see the player."

Back on the volleyball court in Jenks, 10th grader Lauren Stubbs does have some concerns if they can't travel this year.

"You want to compete against other teams in your area for more exposure," Stubbs said.

She’s just happy she's playing again after a three-month hiatus. 

"It feels good after the break we had," Stubbs said.