The Covid-19 pandemic has put athletes everywhere in an unprecedented situation. Guidelines have left uncertainty as to whether any sport will be able to compete for full seasons. 

Senior David Guhl, who is a football team captain, described the bizarre nature of this year. He said, “It is really weird not having completely packed crowds at our games every week. I am just happy we get to play at all,” he said. Most football games have been limited to about 25% capacity, that changed as of Sept. 25. 

Guhl and other leaders on the team are counting on their teammates to do the right thing. He said, “We have to be willing to follow the guidelines so that we can keep playing. Almost every day there have been programs that have to take two week breaks because of positive tests.” 

Guhl, who also participated in rugby, knows the feeling of missing a season already. “It was definitely an awful feeling to not have a rugby season. We always have a really good team that competes for state and national championships so it was sad not being able to play with our seniors one more time,” he said. 

Guhl said he hopes everyone realizes what their actions can mean for people around them. “Even if you aren’t worried about getting sick, it can affect everyone around us and make us not be able to play games that we have worked so hard for,” he said. 

Numerous football players have made the decision to switch to online school in hopes to prolong their season. Guhl said, “A lot of us decided that it was the best option. Obviously, we can’t do anything about it if someone on the team gets sick, but being at school would have been too easy for one of us to get sent home.” Players attend online classes during the day, and then come to campus for practice after school. Several also are enrolled in the zero period weightlifting class, which meets before school in the weight room 

The worry for every school is getting a sport shut down. Athletic trainer Mr. Mike Hunker hopes athletes continue to do the right thing throughout this time. “So far our school has been fortunate compared to other schools and states,” he said. “This could get bad at any time, so we must stay diligent.” 

Hunker noted the changes he and his team have had to adapt to so far this year. “Obviously we have to follow the CDC guidelines and practice social distancing, but there have also been some smaller changes such as not being able to share water bottles and the extensive cleaning process,” he said. 

But Hunker also noted a positive he has been able to take from the situation. “It has been challenging, but because we cannot see as many people at a time, it actually allows us to spend more time with an individual.”

Senior Bella Dausman, who is a women’s soccer team captain, says that her teammates have been doing a great job of thinking about the team first. “Even the younger girls who don’t have as much at stake as seniors have made sure to social distance,” she said. The team has been strict on wearing masks and social distancing at practices and games. Dausman said, “It definitely gets frustrating not being able to have a normal senior season, but we have to follow guidelines in order to have a season at all.”

The team is focusing on their goal for the season so that they all understand why they have to take these steps. “We all want to win a State championship and make our efforts to stay healthy worth it,” she said, “The plan is for all of this to pay off at the end of the season when we are holding up a trophy.”

With all of the uncertainty about fall sports, Dausman and Guhl are relieved that they get to have a season. Guhl said, “Being able to play this year gives us a chance to compete with our brothers and hopefully get a ring. It also is important for a lot of us because we might get more opportunities to play at the next level.”