Football has meant so much to Seyi Oladipo from a young age, and he knew he had bright future with it.
The coronavirus pandemic, however, has dashed many dreams, made some impossible and added an extra degree of difficulty to others such as playing football, a sport that’s the very antithesis of social distancing.
Oladipo, an Eaglecrest High School star, wasn’t sure if or how he would be able to play again in high school and how that might affect his future in the sport. After some tense moments, it all turned out for the best for Oladipo, who got to play six games of his senior season and also secured a Division I scholarship offer with Boise State.
“Honestly, COVID senior year is definitely mentally draining, physically draining, emotionally draining, you name it,” Oladipo said. “We didn’t know if we were playing, and this summer we didn’t get the chance to physically be ready. It went from ‘We’re not playing, we’re playing, they might cancel the season…,’ and all of it was definitely hard.”
Because of its classification as high-risk for virus transmission, football had originally been moved to the spring by the Colorado High School Activities Association, but a late grassroots push by the football community and work with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’ office allowed a split season to happen in both the fall and the spring.
For Oladipo and a select group of Colorado football players fortunate enough to earn DI scholarships — especially fortunate given the massive impact the pandemic has had on recruiting in all sports — graduate early and head to their respective college programs in the new year, just being able to play their senior seasons turned out to be the ultimate blessing.
Oladipo got to showcase everything he had in the shortened fall season, as he was a force as a defensive back on the Raptors’ defense, provided a dangerous special teams weapons (including a game where he had two kick returns for touchdowns of more than 90 yards) and was among the team’s leading receivers, finishing it off with two touchdown catches in the playoff loss.
So it was with full perspective that Oladipo walked off the field Nov. 20 after Eaglecrest’s 49-19 Class 5A state quarterfinal playoff loss to Pomona in his final prep football game. In normal times, the result usually would have drawn tears or ignited frustration, but instead yielded gratitude.
“I don’t think I can shed tears right now, because at the end of the day, we’re here,” Oladipo said. “Every second, I look around and see somebody I know I will have a lifelong bond win, so it’s definitely something special. I’d take this game 10,000 times rather than to have never played. I love each one of these guys out here and to play with them for one last season, one last time, I just have to praise God. It’s God-given to be honest.”
Oladipo’s big dreams get closer to reality quickly.
He will sign his National Letter of Intent with Boise State on Dec. 16, finish his senior year online to graduate from Eaglecrest early and depart for Boise, Idaho, on Jan. 5, 2021. The only thing he’s definitely not looking forward to is the regular COVID-19 testing done by college programs, but it’s the new reality that will allow him to keep playing and doing what he loves.
“I’m going to finish my senior year, make the best of it and be ready to go,” he said. “It definitely will be a year to remember.”
Whatever you’re going through, crisis counselors and professionally trained peer specialists are available to help. Call Colorado Crisis Service’s hotline at 1-844-493-TALK(8255). There is no wrong reason to reach out.
Courtney Oakes can be reached at coakes@SentinelColorado.com.
