Fall sports return to normalcy

COVID Coverage Sports and COVID – a tough mix

By Terina Papatu

Over these past two years, everyone’s life has been heavily impacted by the pandemic. One concern at the school is how the sports teams will proceed during the school year. As a result of COVID-19, adjustments have had to be made.

Now that football, tennis, volleyball, women’s soccer and other sports have returned, many are confused about sports, game schedules and how they’re impacted.

One of the first changes impacting all athletes has been their practices. Safety precautions in football, for example, have changed since last year. Last year, athletes played with masks and followed social distancing guidelines as much as possible. During games, fans weren’t allowed for most of the season, and eventually, crowds were limited.

“This year we don’t have to wear masks under our helmets,” senior Landon Woolley, varsity wide receiver, said.

Heather Kerns, middle player for C-team volleyball, revealed that last year, the volleyball players had to wear two masks and wipe down the volleyballs after using them during practice.

When it comes to outside sports, the players don’t have to wear masks, which makes practice much easier for them.

“It’s nice to be able to practice without wearing masks,” junior Jasmyn Wacker, midfielder for women’s JV soccer, said.

Fortunately, this year athletes don’t have to wear more than one mask, which makes it slightly easier to run.

Sara Hall, the JV volleyball coach, said that having more people trying out and joining the team is “helpful for team bonding” even though it’s tough with all of the restrictions due to COVID.

Many of the changes affecting the sports teams are more directed towards the people on or in charge of the team and the way they play. The volleyball team decided to pull out of tournaments that didn’t require masks, not wanting to put players at risk of getting COVID.

Everyone has their fair share of anxiety and excitement around this time of year, especially when coming back after missing out on so much since early 2020.

“It’s kind of nerve-wracking playing now because we went so long without playing,” Tiffany Ford, outside hitter for C-team volleyball, said.

Others felt the same excitement, eager to be back.

“I’m just happy to be back playing,” senior Matthew Gesese, varsity running back, said. “We’ve all gotten stronger since our sophomore year, so we’ve improved in the game.”

During last year’s football season, no crowds were allowed, which proved to be a slight setback for the energy during the games. Luckily, this year crowds are allowed, and the excitement is back.

“More people are excited to come to watch,” senior Cole Waldrop, varsity quarterback, said. “There’s no other feeling like playing high school football.”

Every team is handling the crowds differently. Across everything though, the returning support from students has been consistent.

“Spectators make a huge difference,” volleyball coach Sharalee Mathews-Malloy said.

Since the C-team and JV volleyball teams are inside and play right before varsity, they watch the varsity game before they go home. The fun of playing and watching were both intensely impacted by COVID.

Fortunately, the crowds, cheerleaders and pep band are all allowed back.

With this expectation of staying for all the games however, some students found it challenging to balance the time commitment with their academic responsibilities.

“It’s kind of difficult to stay until nine p.m. because I have homework,” freshman Hurley Schmidt and defensive specialist said.

Senior Sophina Chen, substitute and forward on the JV women’s soccer team, quoted her coach, Coach Scott Andrews, when referring to his response to homework pile-up. “You don’t want to be on your homework, you want to be before your homework,” she said.

Chen also said that when it comes to doing her homework, she does it the second the teacher publishes it to get it out of the way on the days she doesn’t have practice. Wacker observed that when she does stay to watch the women’s varsity soccer team play, it’s always fun.

“They’re so aggressive and so good,” she said.

Something quite exciting for athletes this year is that so many people have tried out already for just the fall sports. This year, there are only about 13 seniors on the varsity football team, the rest of the team being made up of mostly sophomores and freshmen.

“We know how to calm down the younger guys on the team,” Gesese said, especially being one of the older role models on the team. “Their performance and enjoyment playing is a lot deeper than just a scoreboard.”

Woolley said that more freshmen being on the team has definitely been a change since he remembered being one of the younger players.

“I got put in this position to teach them how to take a loss,” he said.

A shared sentiment across all the teams was that even if they lose a game, as long as they had fun and did their best, then it’s better than not having fun while playing.

“If we play our best, then we have more fun,” Wacker said.

The girls from the JV soccer team also mentioned a highlight from their teammate Serena Ahlskog. Their first goal of the year was scored by Ahlskog, which Chen said was amazing. Since many of our Terrace athletes are seniors and graduating this year, all of them have expressed that they’ll miss playing on their teams and with their friends who they’ve bonded with over the years.

This school year is going to be all over the place, whether it’s on the field, in the Terraceum or in the hallways.

Athletes are hopeful that the safety measures being taken will be effective, and that things will be slightly more under control by next fall.

“Go Hawks!” Waldrop said. H

“I’m just happy to be back playing. We’ve all gotten stronger since our sophomore year, so we’ve improved in the game.” Matthew Gesese VARSITY RUNNING BACK