Many have been hit hard by the news that schools will not return to campus for the remainder of the academic year. It’s a tough and transformative time for all, but especially for the senior class, the class of 2020. Sports360AZ wants to hear from those seniors on how they’re adjusting, what they’re feeling and how this experience can make them stronger moving forward in a new segment we call “2020 Vision.”
Like every other high school student, Tucson Salpointe senior Bruno Fina’s final semester was turned upside down by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a huge change that happened in a weekend,” Bruno said to Sports360AZ.com in a recent Skype interview. “We got off school on a Friday and then on Sunday we were told, ‘Don’t come back.’ Having that change overnight, you don’t see your friends, you don’t see your teachers, your entire schedule is completely changed.”
Fina, a UCLA signee and anchor offensive tackle on arguably the most talented Lancer team in program history, is thankful he was able to finish his prep career, unlike many of his Salpointe classmates who had their prep careers almost instantaneously cut short.
“If this [pandemic] had happened during football season, I would have been completely devastated,” he explained. “Something you’ve worked for three years of your high school career, it’s your senior season. If you don’t have that opportunity…it’s devastating for sure.”
The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder says he has been in consistent contact with his UCLA coaches and has been keeping his mind mentally sharp at home, while mostly working on his physical endurance with a running group which meets twice a week at Rillito Park in Tucson.
Fina said Salpointe has pushed graduation back to August 4th and 5th (for those students still able to attend) and while prom has been canceled, he and some fellow Lancers have come up with an alternative.
“Me and some friends have decided we’re going to throw a prom party,” he said with a wry grin. “But there’s going to be no official school prom.”
Fina helped lead the Lancers to a 10-1 season and spot in the first ever Arizona Open Division Playoffs.
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Eric Sorenson
A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.