Sports Cut Short

Sports are being limited due to the pandemic.

Cleats+used+for+softball+games.

Cleats used for softball games.

School is back and so are the beloved sports but in a different condition. How do some of the students and staff feel about these changes? How have they changed? What are they doing to stay healthy and continue the season? 

Across the globe, this pandemic has impacted our daily lives. It has impacted our school life, work-life, social life, and now our sports life. One thing students use to get away from the problems they have is sports; and now, they may not be able to have that.  

School sports have been limited in the past year and are continuing to prevent them from going back to normal. Sports are a pastime that many students enjoy playing and watching, but they are having trouble getting that back. 

When asked how they have accommodated in practice due to the pandemic: “Players are required to answer a series of questions before any workouts or practices. They are also required to social distance in the locker room and wear masks at all times,” Coach Michael Mullaney said. When it comes to volleyball, “we have to get hand sanitizer at every water break,” Justine Monfred (‘24) said. 

Some students may wonder: have some of the players on their various teams have left due to being concerned about the pandemic? “We have 94 players that have come out for football. I have only heard from two potential players that did not come out due to concerns with COVID, Mullaney said. 

With all the precautions being put in place, players have been concerned and have kept careful. “I’ve been wearing my mask while outside the house. Coach Bartle makes us warm up with our masks on. While we sit on the bench and warm-up we are required to wear our masks, but not when playing [volleyball], Hunter Moore (’24) said. 

When asked about staying safe during quarantine and staying in shape “I’ve been running a lot over the summer and I made sure I practiced social distancing, Mark Amin (’22) said. “I did a lot of conditioning and a lot of weightlifting, that’s about it,” Gunner Fodor (‘24) said. 

With sports being cut short and limited this season, we may be a little down, but at least we have an opportunity to do the thing we love. Students should try and keep their heads up by staying optimistic and supportive.