Another Year Of Fall Sports With COVID-19 Challenges

As Covid-19 restrictions vanish from professional sports, high school sports continue their safety regulations. Although the rules vary within each sport, two remain constant: vaccines are required, and athletes should consider a mask a new part of their daily sports apparel. Masks are essentially as important as bringing shoes to practice. 

The School competes within the North Coast Section (NCS) in a league called BCL East. The league includes against Athenian, College Prep, Saint Joes, Bentley, Valley Christain, and Redwood Christian. Last year, schools in the BCL East worked together to implement three whole seasons of competition into just four months of school. 

This year, however, the schools are not quite on the same page. Alameda county sets basic guidelines: don’t participate if you have tested  positive, but each school can determine their own rules outside of those. This leads to inconsistencies throughout the league. Bentley does not allow fans, while the School permits vaccinated family members to attend games. Differences in school rules can be hard for families to remember which event they can attend. 

Even though proof of vaccination is not required by the county to watch sporting events, it is strictly prohibited to practice on a team without being vaccinated for the School. In addition, all coaches are required to get vaccinated to limit the possible chances of an outbreak. 

However, the amount of masking differs between sports. The School requires athletes to wear masks at all times during indoor sports, but athletes are free to be unmasked during outdoor activities, as long as they stay three feet apart. Three feet is the CDC recommended distance to stop the spread of Covid-19. If an athlete feels sick or uncomfortable being unmasked, it is recommended they wear one. Volleyball players wear masks at all times, even during practice because they practice in an indoor gym. Cross country runners wear them only when training in the indoor weight room, but take them off when running outside. Masks are required for soccer players on the bench, even though they are outside. This is because the benched players are sitting less than three feet away. However, masks are optional for tennis players, regardless of their spacing. 

Luckily, the safety guidelines have not affected team morale and skill level. Multiple athletes on each team have said their fall season has been their strongest season yet. Bilal Abraham and Theo Wilson, two juniors on the men’s soccer team said “this year’s soccer team has been the best [they have ever been on], the chemistry is immaculate, and [while] it is a bit hectic, overall it is a rollicking experience.”