Fresno City College, Reedley College suspend all athletics for Fall 2020

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Local junior colleges are preparing for a school semester unlike any other.

All classes will be online and as of Friday, all fall sports suspended, leaving players benched for the rest of the year.

At Fresno City College, the decision will affect nine sports: football, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, wrestling, men's and women's cross country, water polo and men's and women's basketball.

At Reedley College, the decision will affect twelve sports: football, women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's golf, equestrian, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and men's and women's tennis.

"This decision I know is incredibly disappointing, in fact for many it's heartbreaking," said Carole Goldsmith, President of Fresno City College.

"This is unprecedented, this is one of those once-in-a-hundred-year type situations, you never plan for this," said Reedley College Athletic Director David Santesteban.

Officials with the Central Valley Conference, which consists of Fresno City College and ten other colleges, said the growing number of coronavirus cases in our region makes it difficult to protect student-athletes.

And at Reedley college basketball is the only fall sport moved to the spring semester.

Santesteban said the outlook for other sports isn't as promising.

"Student-athletes are going to have to live up to their moniker and be the student first now more than ever," he said.

While athletic staff at Reedley College have been promised job security, many at FCC will have to transition into academic roles.

But President Carole Goldsmith assures that no furloughs are planned.

Both schools are left looking at new innovative ways to train and educate their athletes.

"We are going to continue to try and work with our athletes and our coaches to do just that, to have the conditioning, to have the academic pieces they need so they can go and be successful," she said.

Junior colleges still have the opportunity to compete this fall, but will have to request to be hosted by another California Community College Conference.

To do that, they'd have to go out of town.

College of the Sequoia Athletics announced they intend on going that route.