Sports During COVID-19

Sports+During+COVID-19

Katie Maciejewski, Staff

Over six months ago, the world was shut down, canceling school, sports, school sports, and many other activities we know and love. 

While we were all quarantined in our homes, we craved sports, but due to the pandemic, all sports were shut down. When the 2020-2021 school year started, it was a question if high school sports would happen. One of the major questions was if it would be safe for the student-athletes to participate. After great consideration, sports were to return in the 2020-2021 school year. 

Football season is an amazing experience as a high school student. The school community gathers together to support the local high school football team. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, student sections have been taken away at all levels of sports. 

Brenden Colley, a senior football player, says “It’s a different game without fans. It doesn’t even feel like we have a home-field advantage because there is no atmosphere.” 

Another major topic of discussion was if masks would be required to participate in sports. Colley states, “The masks are hard to breathe in,” even though football players play outside, they are required to wear masks both on and off the field. 

Other fall sports that are required to play masks while playing are soccer, volleyball, dance, and cheerleading. Swimming and Cross Country have different rules for wearing masks. Swimmers are required to wear masks while they are out of the pool. Cross Country does not have to wear masks while they race, but they must wear them when not racing. 

Although there could be many negative views about sports during COVID, having sports in schools and on the professional level could be the sense of normalcy that everyone is looking for. Students and athletes at Lake Shore hope to be able to fill the stands and cheer for the Shorians once again.