10.15.2020

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OCTOBER 15, 2020

THE TRUMPET

VOL. 100 – ISSUE 5

WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

The Student Voice of the Hilltop

Vice Presidential Debate Key takeaways on pg 4

West Liberty University provides updates regarding pre-registration for Spring 2021- pg. 3 Sean Regan, West Liberty’s head coach for men’s soccer shares life experiences - pg. 11 @thetrumpetwestliberty

@thetrumpetwlu @thetrumpetwlu


WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

THE TRUMPET

NEWS

COVER BY: SAMI SNYDER

CULTURE

Key takeaways from the one and only Vice Presidential Debate between Pence and Harris pg. 4

FOLLOW US ON

SPORTS

West Liberty education program soon to be graduates and alumni make the best of student teaching pg. 6

@TheTrumpetWestLiberty

@WLTrumpetOnline @WLTrumpetOnline westliberty.edu/thetrumpet

High school sports remain in season amidst global pandemic while collegiate level keep cautious pg. 12

THE TRUMPET

The Student Voice on the Hilltop

The Trumpet’s mission is to provide WLU students of all majors an opportunity to learn how to gather and present news information to the campus community, and to serve the WLU community with fair and accurate reporting on matters of significance and interest.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Online Editor Culture Editor Intern Sport Editor Graphic Designer Digital Media Editor Video Editor Intern Faculty Adviser

Annalise Murphy Creed Kidney Hanna Perry Anna Johnston Morgan Kafana Morgan McFadden Lauryn Fridley Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell

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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “The Trumpet: Student Voice on the Hilltop” lettering on the front page will be pink for the remainder of the month to show our support of breast cancer research and awareness.

To submit a letter to the editor, please email anmurphy@westliberty.edu. Please put your name, address, phone number, email address. If the editor decides to publish it, she will contact you to conform your identity.

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NEWS

OCTOBER 15, 2020

NEWS

Editor-in-Chief: Annalise Murphy

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- anmurphy@westliberty.edu

West Liberty University provides updates regarding pre-registration for Spring 2021

West Liberty University released the available classes that students can pre-register for in the Spring 2021 semester to WINS on Oct. 5, 2020. Vice President of Student Services and Registrar, Scott Cook, sent an email out that same day [Oct. 5], to all students outlining the new guidelines for pre-registration for both new and returning students with a word attachment listing all instructions pertaining to pre-registering. If you did not get this email, or cannot find the instruction attachment, please email Mr. Cook at cookscot@ westliberty.edu immediately to gain access to this information. In the email, Cook said, “alternate Pins will not be required this time for online registration in WINS.” Since alternative pins are not required for registration this semester it is crucial that students reach out to their advisors to ensure they are signing up for the correct classes. Cook suggested, “meeting with your advisor before registering for classes in WINS.” For first time freshmen or students who are not sure who their advisor is, this information can be found under the student services menu in WINS. Click on student records and then click on view student

information. From there, the name of the advisor should be listed. To find the email of an advisor, go to the “Directory” page on the WLU web site under the link “GO WLU”. If none of these resources work, contacting the Enrollment Center is always an option and can be don’t by going directly to Shaw Hall or by emailing Amy Balog at balogamy@westliberty.edu. Each class level has a set day that the students in each class can begin to register for classes. The days for each class level are as follows: Graduate Students & Seniors Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 Juniors Friday, Oct. 16, 2020 Sophomores Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 Freshman Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020 “Making sure students complete class schedules during pre-registration and not waiting, as some classes may close. Summer classes should be scheduled now as well,” Cook said. For more information regarding pre-registration, please contact Scott Cook at cookscot@westliberty.edu or Amy Balog in Enrollment Services at balogamy@westliberty.

Photo Credits: Media Relations


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OCTOBER 15, 2020

NEWS

Key takeaways from the one and only Vice Presidential Debate between Pence and Harris

Last Wednesday, Sen. Kamala Harris, the Vice Presidential Nominee for the Democrats, took on current Vice President Mike Pence in a debate at the University of Utah. The debate took place in Kingsbury Hall, on the President’s Circle, with social distancing protocols and protective screening in place. Compared to the previous week’s Presidential debate between Democratic Nominee, Joe Biden, and the current President, Donald Trump, the flow and tone of the debate was significantly more civil and structured. Harris and Pence rarely spoke over one another, and though each ran over their time limit on several occasions, the debate remained relatively focused on the subject matters presented by the moderator, Susan Page.

avoiding the root of the question and evading a complete response. Both also made some misleading or inaccurate statements at various points throughout the debate. For a more thorough understanding of what each candidate and their running mate stand for and support in policy, voters are encouraged to check out their campaign platforms and look at non-partisan fact checking services such as the BBC. With the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting the everyday lives of Americans, the subject unsurprisingly took centre stage with the first few questions focussing in on the response from the current administration and the potential for a vaccine in the coming months. Predictably, Harris attacked the Trump Administration’s handling of the pandemic

and their lack of action in its early stages, “They knew what was happening and they didn’t tell you,” she said. “They knew, and they covered it up.” She also referred to it as “the greatest failure of any presidential administration.” Pence responded by noting the early restrictions put on travel from China and followed up by asking Harris to “stop playing politics with people’s lives” after she said she would take a coronavirus vaccination only if it is endorsed by public health experts. Another key moment of the debate focused on each candidate pairing’s stance on climate change and how to handle it. Harris and Pence disagreed on whether a Green New Deal -which Harris was an original sponsor of - would create or cost more American jobs.

When the conversation turned to systemic racism and excessive violence in the police, Pence swiftly tried to move the conversation towards condemnation of a few violent protests which broke out over police brutality this year and mentioned his trust in those in law enforcement to serve justice. Harris’ rebuttal came in the form of using her expertise as former San Francisco prosecutor and California attorney general saying, “I will not sit here and be lectured by the vice-president on what it means to enforce the laws of this country,” and made a point of Trump’s failure to properly condemn white supremacy. Though the debate covered several important matters, the show was stolen by a fly which decided to take rest on Pence’s head for around two minutes. Social media was flooded with images and memes about this guest appearance for hours after the debate ended.

According to the BBC, “Voters on both sides of the political spectrum… were pleased with the relative civility between candidates.” The debate zoned in on several key issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Supreme Court appointments, the age of the Presidential candidates, climate change, systemic racism, taxes, and, rather poignantly, from an eighth grade student: how do we get along? Both candidates made use of the typical debate tactic of

Here both sides failed to give a particularly rounded answer in an effort not to lose voters in key swing states.

The question of “who won” the debate is in the back of everyone’s minds, however that decision is up to each person individually. Vice President Mike Pence and Kamala Harris Photo Credit: Creative Commons - Google

You can influence the outcome of this election by going to vote on polling day or submitting an absentee or mailin ballot.


OCTOBER 15, 2020

NEWS

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West Liberty cancels spring break in effort to ensure further student safety to stop the spread of COVID-19

On Oct. 1, 2020, students were told that the spring semester would now begin a week later (Jan. 19, 2021) by eliminating spring break. Done “in an effort to keep students, staff and its campus community safe during the pandemic” (announcement email from Media Relations Director Maureen Zambito). The second semester of the 2020-21 academic year will look a lot more like the current fall period. That in being more streamlined in nature and having more of a break before hand rather than during the actual school year.

Current WLU President Dr. Stephen Greiner offered this comment, “We want to be as proactive as possible in keeping COVID-19 at bay. We have decided to start our spring classes on Tuesday, Jan. 19, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We also decided to cancel spring break to avoid travel during the pandemic.” Tentative plans for details concerning move-in have not yet been re“In an effort leased. However, in speaking of these topics, we must recognize that everything has become

Photo Credits: Creative Commons - Google rather just that during these unprecedented times - tentative.

to keep students, staff, and its campus community safe during the pandemic.”

We never know just what might happen. COVID-19 cases could spike at any time, with a huge outbreak happening somewhere in the world, leading to a resurgence of infections.

Thus, sending the world back into quarantine; or we could just all wake up one day and it could be gone, the memory only sounding something like a bad dream. For now, most professors are hopeful in planning for their spring semester classes to be less socially distanced, maybe even not requiring mask mandates.

Of course they’re still being designed and built in accordance to the current protocol and safety Photo Credits: Media Relations procedures, but there’s an air of

optimism surrounding most of us that, hopefully, the corona virus will be a thing of the past when spring rolls around. As nice as all this sounds though, and as founded as the decision of canceling spring break might be, what happens when there’s a student who spends winter break in the Bahamas, or another out-of country resort and comes back with a cough? Are we taking the same risks in extending winter break as canceling the latent spring one? Especially when, in a time like winter, the disease is going to be arguably more rampant? Only time will tell, but one thing remains clear for life on the Hilltop - no spring break. For more information regarding spring break being canceled, please contact Maureen Zambito at maureen.zambito@ westliberty.edu.


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CULTURE OCTOBER 15, 2020

CULTURE

Culture Editor: Hanna Perry - heperry@westliberty.edu

West Liberty education program soon to be graduates and alumni make the best of student teaching Contributing Writer: Baylee Snyder

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every aspect of daily life. Increased safety protocol and altered daily routines are on full display in school districts across the country, including on the local level. While this has obviously impacted even the most experienced of teachers, student teaching or starting a new career as an educator in the middle of a pandemic has made a difficult process even harder. Some surface-level changes are put in place to help create a safe environment. Ensuring that everyone is wearing masks, implementing social distancing, splitting up large classes and disinfecting high-touch surfaces are all methods put in place to help limit the spread of COVID-19, but these changes are impacting both the students and the educators in potentially unforeseen ways. Hunter Norris, a 2020 West Liberty University graduate, describes how these unpredictable changes have forced a shift from the way he thought his first year as an educator would go compared to the way it’s actually developing. The techniques and ideas he learned in the educa-

tion program are no longer applicable with the current protocol. “It’s so strange as all of my education and experience involved the exact opposite of today’s work view.” Many of his established lesson plans needed to be shifted to minimize group work and ensure the safety of the students, while also making sure all of the necessary curriculum was still being taught. There have also been clear shifts for students working to complete their student teaching requirements amidst all of these adjustments. Christian Oliver, a West Liberty student in his final year of the education program, discussed how the program itself is working within new guidelines. He described how, in accordance with the county’s updated rules, he is only able to physically be in the schools for two days each week. He stated that Wednesdays have become that district’s “Online School” day, which means less time connecting with the students in person. The cautious method that many schools used in the reopening process has also impacted the student-teaching experience for future educators. Hope Neal, an education student from Muskingum University in New Concord, OH, stated that “because many schools delayed their start, the schedules

we have to use are thrown off.” She also mentioned that getting placed into schools has been more difficult for everyone involved because of the schools’ hesitance to invite new people into the building. While this is clearly no one’s fault, it could potentially have a direct effect on graduation or academic requirements. Even though all of these struggles, these educators, as well as their students, have been able to use this difficult situation to learn new life skills along with their

schoolwork. Norris said, “The outpouring of love from the faculty and the willingness to adapt and help from the students are the only reason this currently works.” He adds that, “Students are still smiling. Students are still laughing. And students are still learning.” This school year certainly looks like none before it, the student teachers and new educators are making the best of a bad situation to reach the best outcome both for themselves, as well as their students.

Photo Credits: Morgan McFadden - Ms. Erika Logston (left) and Ms. Brie-Ann Young (right) at Wheeling Park High School


CULTURE

OCTOBER 15, 2020

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FAFSA applications are open for the 2021-2022 academic year PDF form and fill out the information and mail in the application. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open for all students seeking financial aid for the 20212022 academic year. Applications opened Oct. 1 and can be completed at any time through the school year. The FAFSA is a free application for all students across the nation who seek help from the federal government. A fee will never be necessary when filling out the FAFSA. Assistant Director of Financial Aid, Molly Daniels says, “The FAFSA is actually one the most important pieces of paperwork for families that are trying to finance their education, outside of just paying out of pocket, will fill out.” Almost every student who applies for financial aid through the FAFSA will automatically receive some type of aid, whether it be a loan or grant. The FAFSA becomes an important piece when states are giving scholarships and grants to students. The FAFSA also offers federal work study opportunities, in which students can make work and make money while attending school. There are several different ways to apply for the FAFSA including the website, the mobile app, and the mail in option, where students can print out the

When completing the FAFSA, Daniels says you need the student FSA ID, which is a username and password given the first time you apply for federal aid. The same FSA ID is used each time you complete the FAFSA, so it is very important to keep it in a well known place. If you are filing as a dependent with a parent, you will also need the parent FSA ID. Social security numbers and date of births are also needed from you and any parent going on the application. 2019 tax records are needed when applying for financial aid for the 2021-2022 academic year as well as any untaxed income, asset information, and the current balances in any banking account you may have. You will also need a list of schools that you plan on sending the information to that you may need to receive federal aid, such as graduate schools or schools that you may be transferring to. There is no deadline for completing the FAFSA for the next academic year, but Daniels says students should look out for any state deadlines where you reside. Some of the funding that West Liberty awards is limited, so it is given on a first-come-first-served basis to students who complete the FAFSA earlier. Other students may be put on waitlists for additional funding. “The earlier the better,” says Daniels, when applying for the FAFSA.

Photo Credits: Creative Commons - Google

Daniels also gave some tips for students when completing the FAFSA which includes, making sure students are logging on to a .gov website instead of .com, which could potentially charge you to fill out the form. Students are always able to change information once they have completed the form in case anything needs corrected or updated. Students and families, if given the option, can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import their tax

information directly from the IRS to the FAFSA. Once you have completed the FAFSA, there will be comments that pop up which may include that schools may need additional information, so it is important to thoroughly read the confirmation page. If you need to complete the FAFSA or need any additional information, visit studentaid.gov or westliberty.edu/financial-aid for help with financial aid.


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OCTOBER 15, 2020

OPINION

OPINION

What do first-time freshman fear the most? Contributing Writer: Olivia Romick This season reminds us of haunted houses, ghosts, witches and evil spirits. Halloween makes us think of everything scary, but we often forget the most terrifying experience of all: being a freshman in college.

College students have it pretty rough, especially this year. Freshmen typically worry about finding their classes, making new friends and taking college-level exams. The incoming class, however, has a new type of freshman experience; one with few in-person classes, almost no ways to make new friends and taking exams completely online. With this new form of college life, what do freshmen fear most?

Five other students responded almost the exact same way, saying they feared the workload that came with college. Perhaps freshmen were most afraid of the extra work because they knew a majority of their classes would be online. One of the other most popular fears was not being able to find friends. One student said, “My biggest fear as a freshman was probably just not being able to find friends or being able to fit in.” Several other students felt the exact same way, one saying, “My biggest fear was not being able to make any friends, but it’s so much easier than I thought it

would be.” Hearing that students found making friends easy is surprising to hear, considering the majority of campus events have taken place online. There are few ways to meet new people here on campus, especially as a freshman coming to a completely new territory. There were a few other fears that were less popular among students, but they are still viable fears. A student said, “I’d say one of the biggest fears coming to campus was being homesick. Even though I only live about an hour or so away, it’s still a new

Another was scared of balancing school work with sports. Several were scared of maintaining their grades. Another student said, “What I was scared of the most of all about coming to campus was having enough time to get to my classes, because I’m a commuter and it takes me about 30 minutes to get up the hill onto campus.” As a freshman, there are many things to fear when coming to campus for the first time. What makes the freshmen experience better, however, is knowing that every freshman is just as scared as you are.

Most of the responses had a theme of fearing the workload of college. One student said, “When I first started, I was scared of the professors, because high school makes them seem so strict. Also, I was afraid of falling behind, because the workload is much greater than that in high school.”

experience to be away from home this long- especially after spending the past few months in quarantine with them.”

Don’t fear talking to new people, asking for directions to your in-person class or asking for help with your workload.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons - Google

Any upperclassmen would be happy to help you, and any freshman will be glad to conquer their fear.


OPINION

OCTOBER 15, 2020

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How is Halloween celebrated around the globe? Every kid looks forward to Oct. 31 when they can put on a costume and go from door to door collecting a sweet treat. However, Halloween isn’t celebrated the same way in other places around the world like it is in the United States, which poses the question: how is Halloween celebrated around the world? In China, foreign teachers introduced Halloween to the children in school. However, the Chinese don’t celebrate Halloween and the traditional activities like trick or treating and dressing in costumes isn’t popular. They have however taken the concept of dressing up in costumes and changed Halloween to a party day in restaurants and bars. In addition, they also decorate with pictures of black cats, ghosts and monsters just like the United States does. Halloween might be our version of a day for the dead and in China they have

four days for the dead. These days include the Hungry Ghost Festival, Qing Ming Festival, Double 9 Festival and the Spring Festival. However, in Cuba Halloween isn’t at all celebrated or used as a reference. In fact, the Cubans celebrate Dia de Los Fieles Difuntos on Nov. 2 which is a day that they remember their ancestors. On this day, families eat an early meal, and they go to the cemetery where they clean off their loved one’s grave, install a spotlight for the evening and place flowers on the grave. Then in the evening the families return to their loved one’s grave with candles and silently take the time to remember their dead loved ones. Interestingly, South Africa doesn’t celebrate Halloween at all. The main reasoning for this is due to a concern for safety. Parents are concerned to let their kids go out on dark streets to trick or treat with so many strangers out. South Africa has been slowly having both private and public parties at nightclubs where a Halloween theme is set for a party. Costumes are also worn for the purpose of celebrating but not

Photo Credit: Creative Commons - Google

for a religious meaning. “Halloween is mostly celebrated in the US and Canada but countries from around the world are getting more and more in on the fun,” said Dr. Rojas, a doctor at West Liberty who teaches Spanish. Even though we have grown up our entire lives with the

tradition of costumes and free candy, it’s always fascinating to learn how other places in the world celebrate Halloween. It just goes to show that the world is filled with many unique traditions and views of how this holiday should be celebrated. For more information, please contact the author of this article, at mkafana@westliberty.edu.


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OCTOBER 15, 2020

OPINION

The true and fictional events of the Salem Witch Trials leaves many people superstitious... October is the time of year that superstition and fear are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Black cats, smashing a mirror, and the number 13 are all examples of common superstition, but what happens when superstition overcomes a whole group of people and paranoia takes over? One of the most notable examples of mass hysteria in history is the Salem Witch Trials. In 1692, paranoia swept the village of Salem, Mass., when a Reverend’s daughter and niece fell ill, and the sickness was thought to be caused by witchcraft. Fear gripped the town and within a few months 19 men and women were sentenced to death by hanging, one man was pressed to death, and several others died in prison after being accused of bewitching young girls and causing their ailments. At the time, there was “fertile ground for fear and suspicion” according to salem.org. The recent wave of deaths caused by smallpox and the consistent danger from neighboring native tribes made it easy for fear to spread and become a central part of everyday life.

The events in Salem, in 1692, inspired the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, an American playwright. This play is covered extensively throughout education and the lessons it teaches about mass hysteria, superstition, and the failure of those in charge to keep a level head, continue to have an influence on society. “When I hear someone refer to an event as a “Witch Hunt,” I think of it as being more of a failure of authority in guiding people into a responsible direction,” said Dr Dominique Hoche, a Professor of English at West Liberty University. “Once the problem with the local authorities in Salem and surrounding area was resolved, the paranoia faded.” Miller’s play adaptation of the story of the Salem Witch Trials does take some creative liberties in telling the tale but the core ideas remain solid. “I think fictional adaptations are part of human culture,” said Hoche. “If anything, the retelling enhances the event by putting it into terms that later people can understand.” Fictional adaptations of historical events help us to revisit that moment in time and think about how we can apply the circumstances and lessons learned to our current climate. “Shakespeare wrote his history plays as a way of retelling events, but he also used his retelling to comment on current events,” said Hoche.

Photo Credit: Sami Snyder

Hearing, seeing or reading these stories are not only fun, but they help us to gain a better understanding of human nature. West Liberty University is not without its fair share of superstition. Several buildings on campus such as Shotwell Hall and Rogers Hall are considered haunted by both students and faculty. “A lot of my friends that I talk to don’t believe in ghosts, but

I actually do. I’ve never really experienced anything eerie on campus, but I feel like I would believe it if it came from a credible source,” said Julianna Haug, a Junior at West Liberty. During the Halloween season, these types of thoughts pop up much more frequently. Enjoy telling your ghost stories to your friends and family, but remember the dangers that can arise from things being taken too far.


SPORTS

SPORTS OCTOBER 15, 2020

Sports Editor: Anna Johnston

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- acjohnston@westliberty.edu

Sean Regan, West Liberty’s head coach for men’s soccer tion for 10 years.

West Liberty University’s Men’s Head Soccer Coach, Sean Regan, was born and raised right here in Wheeling, W.Va. Regan completed his undergraduate degree at Wheeling Jesuit University, where he majored in history and was also a member of the men’s soccer team.

In March of 2019, he became the head coach right here on the Hilltop and is currently in his second year of coaching here. As a fairly new member of the West Lib family, Regan mentioned several of his favorite aspects about campus, one of them being the upgrades to the university and campus as a whole.

Regan said, “From wonderful athletic facilities, new dorms to new majors being added. The campus is always growing.”

soccer season has not been what they all were hoping or wishing for, but Regan tells his players to “be grateful for any opportunity to compete.”

As students, athletes, and staff navigate this semester amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Regan had this to offer as advice: “Be patient and continue to work hard.” The men’s

In his free time, Regan enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Rikki, and his two little boys, Liam and Declan.

One thing that Regan would like people to know about him that has not been covered in the content above is that after college and before he started his coaching career, he worked as a conflict resolution/peace and reconciliation counselor in Belfast, Ireland.

Regan shared some of his accomplishments when he was a part of the Wheeling Jesuit men’s soccer team saying, “the men’s soccer team won two conference championships and twice ranked in the NCAA Top 25.”

For more information about this article, please contact the author, Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@westliberty.edu.

Upon graduation from Wheeling Jesuit, Regan went on to complete his master’s degree at Bethany College. Coaching soccer has long been a part of Regan’s life. Starting out at Washington and Jefferson as an assistant for three years, Regan moved up in the rankings and became the head coach at Bethany and was in this posi-

Watching Liverpool F.C and the Pittsburgh Penguins are two other hobbies that Regan enjoys doing on his days off.

To keep up to date with all things sports at West Liberty, check out hilltoppersports.com.

Photo Credits: Media Relations (Sean Regan)

Due to COVID-19, all fall sports have been postponed until a later time. Student Athletes have been practicing while abiding by COVID-19 guidelines.


SPORTS

OCTOBER 15, 2020

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High school sports remain in season amidst global pandemic while collegiate level keep

We are all quite too familiar at this point with how many things COVID-19 has taken, and continues to take, away from us; and while many still remain highly cautious of any kind of breach to protocol or a possible instance of exposure to the virus, some have continued to go about their regularly scheduled and expected programming with little to no changes. This week we reached out to two local high school sophomores to get their thoughts on how their school is handling athletics among the pandemic. Fears only continue to be expressed when the topic of sports still being in season during the current state of the pandemic is brought into the conversation. While one student believes that sports should be continued purely for the fact that student athletes work hard enough to deserve a full schedule of play, the other continues on to reiterate her points of observing rather backward thinking. Even if the majority of fall sports do take place outside, the stands are inevitably going to become packed with spectators standing closely together, yelling and cheering, trying to get the best view of the game; “... this negate[s] any positives offered by the outside venue. Air circu-

lation won’t help anything if you’re basically sitting on top of one another. And, it must be remembered that players can’t wear masks while they’re playing. So, any spit or respiratory droplets that are inevitably going to be projected out by the athletes that are breathing heavy, will have nothing stopping them. I just don’t think it’s worth the risk at this point for contact sports, primarily being football to be held.” Yet high schools around the country continue to host games; and without policies enforcing athletes to wear masks while competing and practicing alike, it’s fair to assume that cases are going to rise between high school athletes and students both. While currently the obvious focus is on football, other sports are still going on without much protocol as well. Both our interviewees are high school athletes, one participating in soccer and the other swimming; reportedly, soccer is still happening as it always has but now with the rule of no shared water containers or coolers. No plans for high school swimming have yet been released, but club teams remain practicing without holding any meets between teams. Both students expressed concern in the social distancing aspect of sporting events even if their school was doing all that they could to ensure their student’s safety, one of the interviewees went on to say that “the passion to protect and prevent that is displayed within the schools isn’t necessarily carried through to the extracurricular activities like sporting events. At least not as prominently.”

When asked how they would feel if either of their sports were to be cancelled due to the virus or in efforts to slow the spread, both admitted that they would be extremely upset but understanding of why it was done and support the decision of their school, even if it’s “sad to lose the opportunity to do good.” It’s safe to assume that all of these sentiments and more are deeply shared by college students alike when asked about their sports and athletic events, whether they participated or not, in relation to the pandemic at large, after all they’re really only a couple years apart; so why does such a divide exist then on the subject of policy and enforcement? Is it because the respective students are at different “levels of maturity,” or that it’s a new environment? Can it be said that high school’s don’t care

Photo Credit: WJMHS Media

as much when their students leave the grounds to participate in extracurriculars because they aren’t living on campus like some college students are? What will it take for more policies to be enforced, on a stricter, more conformational basis? When asked if they believed if anything more should be done to contain the spread of the virus, one student expressed that she feels the prevention methods have become something of a suggestion, and more should be done to encourage people to follow the outlined protocol; possibly even the addition of a fine. The second student shared that he believes “we are doing good.”


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