Sport Continues Despite COVID Concerns

by Zavier Campsey

This time last year we were stuck inside of our houses, anxious and unsure. Just one year and two months ago we had been given a “two-week precautionary break” from school and were excited about the extra spring break. Then the track season was canceled. Then the rest of the nine weeks was moved to online only and schools internationally were shut down. As the year progressed more and more things were canceled. Conditions worsened as no one knew what to expect for the next year. Come fall sports season, everyone waited with baited breath wondering what the protocol would be.

Strangely enough, it wasn't that different. Football was still in full swing. While there were no locker rooms or weight room, the sport still stayed the same, and they could play out their full season. As well as playing their full season they could do traditional two-a-day training seasons.

Cross country could still operate fine, just needing to have free sanitary precautions and wear masks while not actively running.

Soccer was the same with minor sanitary precautions and masks. But the same beloved game, though the fan attendance was heavily restricted with limited space in the bleachers, the game didn’t change and the season wasn’t delayed.

Then came the winter sports. This was possibly the biggest fear as spring and fall sports were played outside and so it was easier to distance and be Covid safe. Again, despite everyone's fears of cancellation or pushed-back seasons, they went on almost completely normally.

Wrestlers couldn’t shake hands before and after matches, the crowd was limited, and administrative discretion decided if the school should go to tournaments or not. But those were minor changes in the grand scheme of things when athletes expected to not get a senior season, or have to give up a senior track season to participate in a pushed-back season.

Basketball had almost no changes besides widespread spectator limitation and mask requirements. Swimming, on the other hand, had to fill out symptoms forms online before every practice, while most sports had to just get temperature checks and be asked basic questions in person. Swimming didn’t get to go to big tournaments that weren’t postseason, such as TVC or Sectionals similar to the wrestling team.

Now in the spring sports season, limitations are exclusive to the near-universal limit of masks while not performing. Though track was limited due to the bleachers having a limited number of seats, that is almost the only one as they’re still allowed to have large-scale meets. Outdoor tennis and softball have unlimited spectators. Though traditionally smaller events, there is no limit.

Overall, the high school sports have gone on with minor to no changes to their season. The athletes are surely grateful as some expected to miss an entire season of their sport due to Covid.