For most, fall is a season to relax and enjoy the spooky season. But for athletes, it’s what they’ve been looking forward to all year- the start of fall sports. Everything changed due to the outbreak of Covid-19. 

Ava Ridinger, a freshman at Gloucester Catholic in New Jersey, explained, “Coaches have to wear masks all the time and we have to stay 6 feet apart during practices, which are 5 times a week. At actual games, we don’t wear masks and can’t stay 6 feet apart. Only Parents can come to games and have to keep a distance.”   

Although the team followed safety procedures, someone got COVID-19 and Ava’s whole team has been sent home to quarantine for two weeks. 

Ava Giordano, a freshman cheerleader at Padua Academy, has also been following the rules and being safe during practices. 

“We have practices two times a week and have to wear masks,” she said. “We keep our distance unless we’re doing stunts, and at the beginning of every practice get our temperature taken and take a survey to see if we have any symptoms. We first started zoom practices and football games have been moved to October.”

Everything has been going as it should and there have been no covid cases on Giordano’s team.

Abigail Holzworth, a freshmen at Gloucester Catholic who also does cheerleading, said her football games have already started.  “There’s not a lot of football games as there usually would be but I’m making the most of it. We have to wear masks and we can’t do any stunting. Our coaches have to wear masks too and parents can come to the games as long as their social distancing.” 

Although practices haven’t been easy and many games have gotten canceled, athletes continue to push on and make the best out of the new rules and safety procedures that have to be followed. Because, at the end of the day, high school athletes just want to stay safe and play the sport they love.