Eclipse will create unusual lighting, cultural circumstances for high school sports

Exactly how and for how long Saturday morning’s solar eclipse will impact the local prep sports calendar is anybody’s guess — largely because nobody is quite certain just how much light there will be during the eclipse.

As much of a major curiosity as it is going to be in New Mexico, which is along the eclipse’s prime “ring of fire” viewing arc, it may prove to have no impact at all.

But precautions are being taken all over the Albuquerque metro area, just in case.

The most interesting example will occur in Valencia County, where Los Lunas High School is hosting a cross country meet.

Because some pueblos (such as the Navajo Nation) insist that its people not look at an eclipse, eat, drink, sleep or, most germane to this topic — engage in physical activity during an eclipse — and because there will be plenty of Native American runners at the Los Lunas meet — Tigers coach Larry Padilla has had to undertake the most unusual plan of his three decades plus of coaching.

The girls’ varsity race is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. But Padilla wasn’t sure when the boys will begin, because the meet is going to go on pause during the eclipse.

In deference to Native American athletes and their families, Padilla said he has set aside three different indoor spaces: one for the girls runners, one for the boys runners and one for adults, anyone who will need to take refuge inside until the eclipse’s conclusion.

“Never had to deal with anything like this before,” Padilla said.

He said the boys varsity race probably would go off near 11 a.m., but it might be later than that.

Two schools, Santa Fe Indian and Gallup, canceled their appearance due to the eclipse. There will still be 22 schools in the field; Los Lunas has a couple of Native American runners on its boys roster. Jemez Valley, Padilla said, is among the teams expected to compete.

Padilla said he spoke to an elder on the Isleta Pueblo who filled him in on how eclipse traditions can vary from pueblo to pueblo and from female to male.

Paul Begay, a Navajo cultural adviser, in an interview with the Associated Press described an eclipse as a disturbance, or death of the sun, which is considered a father figure in Navajo. Out of respect, he said, all activity stops.

Zuni High originally was to host a meet Saturday, but moved it up a day to Friday to avoid the eclipse.

Albuquerque Public Schools will have a busy calendar on Saturday morning.

There are football games at Wilson Stadium and Milne Stadium, both starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, and the APS Soccer Complex will be hosting a few games in the morning.

APS district athletic director Adrian Ortega said the lights will be turned on Saturday at all three of those venues.

La Cueva’s girls soccer team is playing Strongsville, Ohio, at 11 a.m. Saturday at the APS Complex. Bears coach Amber Ashcraft said the team wanted to make the best of the unique event, so they went online and purchased some of the special glasses needed to safely observe the eclipse.

Cleveland High AD Matt Martinez said he believes his school will turn on its lights when the Storm faces visiting Rio Rancho at 11 a.m. Saturday in a girls soccer match.

However, not every local soccer game on Saturday morning is scheduled on a field that has lights.

Piedra Vista’s girls soccer team is scheduled to play at Eldorado at 11 a.m. Saturday. Eagles coach Aaron Forrester said the plan is to play as planned, and if there is any issue with lighting, the game will simply be paused.

The height of the eclipse, in the 10 a.m. hour, will last nearly five minutes, when the moon passes directly in front of the sun to create the much-referenced “ring of fire.”