MALIBU—Malibu High Sharks sports season was forced to suspend their season on Monday, April 27, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletes and coaches felt disappointed as all the competitions were canceled at the beginning of the season. For most of the athletes, the sports season has been the highlight of their high school experiences, so the sudden ends of the games deeply frustrated them.
“I was really excited to finish out this last season. It was unfulfilling to have it canceled right at the beginning,” said Aidan Reid, the distance runner in Malibu High Sharks track & field team. She had outstanding performances earlier this year and was planning to break her own record in this season.
“They deserved to run their last race and compete at the highest level they can achieve,” said Amy Galipeu, a track coach at Malibu High School. She said she felt bad since it was the last season for these senior students to pursue their ultimate goals in the competition.
In order to expand the spirit of Malibu High Sharks, Galipeu decided to hold an unofficial event for these students. All the athletes, coaches, and even spectators joined the activity. They chose to run the 1,600 meters and the 100 meters to compete with each other for fun.
“It will be something I will always remember as a coach. We may have lost the season, but we never will lose our Shark spirit.” Since it was these students’ last day of high school, Galipeu held the entertaining running competition to give them an unforgettable day. “The coaches did a really cool thing,” said Reid.
