Distance learning amid the pandemic didn’t cut it for Waiakea High’s Kala’e Woods.
“I felt trapped in the endless cycle of online school,” Woods said. “I was miserable. I lost all motivation and felt the need to escape the sadness with staying home all day.”
As desperate a lifestyle as Woods described, what loomed ahead was the possibility the situation could become more depressing: a senior year without soccer.
Woods had an ohana exit ramp and he happily took it, even if it landed him some 3,000 miles away. He left behind his friends, family, a girlfriend, the beaches and “good poke” for West Jordan, Utah, where he’s living with an aunt and uncle and acclimating to cold weather, elevation, a bigger school and tougher competition.
It was all worth it, he said, especially with high school soccer in Utah ramping up ahead of the spring season.
“Life was so repetitive and dull without being able to go to school in-person. It was a struggle for all my friends,” Woods said. “I never thought that I would be so grateful for in-person schooling.”
The Utah High School Athletic Association canceled spring sports last year during the onset of the pandemic, but the governing body issued return-to-play protocols during the summer to get back on track for 2020-21 school year. According to the Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake County – with a population of 1,160,437, according to the census – has reported 128,589 cases of COVID-19, with 659 deaths. According to the Hawaii Department of Health, the state – with a population of 1,415,872 – has reported 25,451 COVID-19 cases with 406 deaths.
Living in a southern suburb of Salt Lake City, Woods joined a soccer club and impressed his coach enough to get invited to a tournament during Presidents’ Day Weekend in February.
While many of his former Waiakea Warrior teammates lament their lost chance to create lasting memories – the season was officially canceled earlier this month – the West Jordan Jaguars have begun preseason conditioning.
“A lot of my friends are sad that they cannot play their sport for their last year in high school, and it has brought them down,” Woods said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to continue playing soccer.”
The stoppage came at an inopportune time for Waiakea, which ended a 14-year BIIF Division I title drought last season and looked poised for bigger things after reaching the state semifinals. Including Woods, the Warriors were set to return seven seniors who made either all-BIIF or honorable mention in 2020.
“We would’ve surprised Hawaii again,” Woods said. “We set the bar high last year and it unlocked endless possibilities for this year and future years to come.”
Yes, there’s no place like home.
“The biggest thing that I miss is the spirit of aloha that tends to be exchanged among the people of the island,” he said.
But Utah has become a fine second home – Woods said he may stick around the Beehive State for college – even if finding playing time becomes more of a chore. West Jordan High’s enrollment is roughly 1,700 students, and the area has a greater passion for soccer, Woods said, than the Big Island.
“We’ve already started light training, and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from coaches and teammates,” he said. “Not only can I continue playing, but it allows me to get good exposure for college.
“Soccer is something that has brought me joy and I hope to continue to play for as long as I possibly can.”