Comparing sports and school is like comparing apples and oranges; they just aren’t the same thing. Playing sports is a choice; you don’t have to play. Whereas school is not a choice; you have to go. Playing sports during a pandemic may be harmful to a player who catches the virus, but they put themselves at risk when they signed up to play. The coronavirus isn’t the only thing players risk when they play sports. They also risk getting hurt or catching other potentially harmful bacteria, but again they still choose to play. 

With the exception of volleyball, fall sports are also outdoor sports, which means there is more air flow and a less likely chance of contracting the virus both as a fan and a player. Sports also have less players participating than in school; a soccer team has around 30 players, for example, whereas many high schools have more than 1,000 students in the same building. 

A lot of student athletes are depending on sports to get into college. Not everyone has the money to attend college and get a higher education, but with the playing of fall sports, these athletes have a chance. Sports also provide an incentive for struggling students to keep moving forward. To play sports, athletes must meet a required GPA, and without the playing of sports, some students may fail or drop out of high school. 

Sports are more than just a game. They teach teamwork, trust, respect, and dedication, which are all needed for a successful future. Since sports require movement and exercise, they are also great for boosting and stabilizing mental health. 

I hope that in the near future, we can have both sports and in-person school, but for right now sports need play. Go Cards!

I’m going on my fifth year as a softball player here at GRC, and it’s always been a general rule that there would be no softball if there was no school. This rule went for every other sport as well. If a snow day were to occur, there would be no practices or games of any kind. Even that week in February when school was out for illness, coaches all around the school canceled activities with their players. 

It would be assumed that this trend would continue; however, a new debate has arisen following the spread of Covid-19: Should sports be able to play while school is still online? The answer is no. If sports got canceled because of the annual flu season, then they should definitely be canceled in the wake of a deadly pandemic. 

There are many reasons why sports should be canceled while school is online outside of the “no-school-no-sports” rule. At these events, there is no way to ensure social distancing at all times. Workers at games may be able to keep the audience six feet apart and masked up, but how can anyone prevent the inevitable team huddles? Or even the routine hand shake given after every good play? They can’t.

Inevitabilities like these are the reason sports should not happen right now. While most players may be healthy and generally unaffected by the virus if they were to contract it, those they come in contact with or their family members may not be so lucky.

While it would be unfortunate for seniors to miss their final season of high school sports, continuing athletics while government health officials still advise against large gatherings is unwise. Playing a sport is a huge part of so many lives, and as an athlete I know how strong the love for the game can be. However, any way you look at it, no game is worth another person’s life.