Fisher talks about lost season

WAVERLY – Things were looking good for AGWSR graduate Aubrie Fisher’s Wartburg College freshman track and field season.

She was about to compete in her first Division III National Indoor meet in North Carolina last week when she learned the meet was called off.

“We were hours away from competing,” Fisher said. “It was frustrating since we were already out there and risked our health to go out there and then found out we couldn’t compete. It’s new territory. It’s a hard situation.

“I don’t know what they told our coaches, but it was put on social media: it was posted before our coaches could tell us. We had a meeting; we were told about it. It was heartbreaking, a lot of tears and a lot of questions that couldn’t be answered yet. We all helped each other through it. We couldn’t go back (to school) right away, so we spent a few days there. We got there on Wednesday, were supposed to compete on Friday and Saturday, found out on Thursday, and was originally supposed to go back Sunday, but found a flight out on Saturday.”

Fisher said she felt worse for the seniors than for herself.

“I mean, at first, it was really heartbreaking for everyone,” Fisher said. “It’s happening to so many people. I was really sad for the seniors and the goals we had for the team that we didn’t get to accomplish. We have to remember the situation is bigger than athletics. It’s hard to think that way, it’s for the best. A difficult situation.”

While chatting on Wednesday, March 18, Fisher said things were going as well as they could be.

“We can’t have organized practices of course,” Fisher said. “Me and my teammates have been getting together and running. You do what you have to do.”

She said she intended to stay on campus for as long as she was allowed, but shortly afterward, her mother, Lisa, received an email asking all students at Wartburg to leave campus except for those who absolutely could not.

“Our classes are online, but they aren’t making people go home,” Aubrie said before she found out about the request for students to leave. “The fitness center is closed and some of the dining options, but they are taking precautionary measures…I plan on staying, it depends on how things go and situation progresses.”

Fisher said that everyone gets a chance to have an extra year of eligibility, whether they choose to or not.

“Maybe I’ll run somewhere else,” Fisher said. “If I do (go to graduate school) I have the option of running somewhere.”

Originally, Fisher’s plan was to play both basketball and run cross country and track for the Knights, but she has decided to cut out basketball from her already busy schedule.

“I decided not to (play basketball),” Fisher said, “just to run because I played (basketball) for about a month and decided I missed running.”