Since the decision was made to cancel the Maine high school spring sports season about two months ago, I’ve been asked this one question repeatedly: “Do you think we will have football and other sports this fall?”. I’ll share with you my oft used three-word response: “I don’t know”.
For those of you who think our state’s athletic administrators are enjoying an extended vacation because there are no sports to cover, think again. In fact, most are working beyond what is normally expected, navigating an ever-changing situation that no one can fully prepare for. My hat goes out to each of these dedicated individuals who are trying to work within established guidelines in hopes of providing positive experiences when student-athletes return to play.
Keep in mind, we are slightly over the halfway point from the time the world came to a halt in mid-March to the start of fall sports practices. Much has changed in that time and I’m sure there will be other changes and findings with regards to COVID-19 before mid-August.
Before I continue, let it be known I am not an expert in disease control or prevention. I’m also not a conspiracy theorist with tin foil on top of my head. This coronavirus has infected well over one million Americans and has accounted for over 100,000 deaths nationwide. It is serious and certain precautions should be in place to ensure safety.
While I’m not an epidemiologist, I consider myself literate and can interpret data fairly well. Out of the many cases in COVID-19 in Maine, a large percentage have occurred in shared living spaces, such as group, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The overwhelming majority of people facing complications from this virus have an underlying condition or are elderly. As a society, we need to continue to protect this population. Based on what we know right now, this disease, by and large, is not affecting young, healthy people. I’m also not naïve enough to believe the reason 15-17 year-olds aren’t contracting COVID-19 is because of their strict adherence to social distancing compared to the rest of the population. If you believe that, can I interest you in some oceanfront property in Kansas?
So the prevailing question is: Can we resume sports safely? One aspect in which leaders seem to be all over the place with is the definition of safety. If the standard is going to be: we cannot take any chance of anyone contracting the virus, then no, we will not be resuming sports this fall. In fact, if this is going to be the standard, we will not have interscholastic athletics until we have a proven vaccine. Even then, if the COVID-19 vaccine has the effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine, this may not be sufficient enough.
Until that time, COVID-19 is going to be with us. There is always going to be risk, we just need to decide how significant a risk are we willing to take. After all, if we were to ensure all participants and their families that there is zero risk to playing competitive athletics, we might as well completely shut down our athletic programs permanently. There is risk of concussions, broken bones, etc, which comes from competition. In fact, as of now, there is undoubtedly greater risks from these maladies than an athlete becoming severely ill from COVID-19 during competition. As with any other risk factor, athletes and their families should weigh this and make that decision. COVID-19 could also be included in the school waiver form to absolve schools from any potential liability.
There are many “what ifs” that could happen when the weather gets cooler this fall. Many experts have predicted a “second wave” of coronavirus. The news with this virus is ever changing but we should not move into a state of inertia worrying about every possible scenario. As we plan to resume this fall, let’s deal with what is and not what could be. Let’s have a contingency for the future while still making decisions based on the present.
Now, more than ever, we need high school athletics to return this fall. Athletics have a way of bringing people from different walks of life together in a way few other events can. At a game, we are all the same. Rich or poor, black or white, these differences don’t matter. And yes, Maine high school athletics should return this fall with fans in the stands. We are not Texas and our games aren’t going to draw 20-30 thousand spectators on a Friday night. At any game I’ve attended, there are barriers to keep spectators away from the participants. We are all capable of understanding any potential risks involved. School can even require the use of masks by spectators should they so choose. Those who do not feel safe in attending and may be immune compromised can make the decision not to attend.
Of course things can change, for better or worse, by the time mid-August hits. As of now, I see no reason what high school athletics can’t return to as close to normalcy as possible.
