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.