Pandemic Throws Wrench in Gears of Sports, Both Fall and into the Future

With COVID-19 affecting the lives of billions around the globe, daily activities in a more microcosmic way have also been disrupted. Due to the pandemic, West fall sports have been moved to the spring, leading to many questions and controversy. While obviously not as life altering as hospitalization and recovery, the radical changes have blown up any sense of athletic normalcy for students and coaches alike.

 New head football coach Duane Hartkopf agrees with the move for the well-being of students and sees a possibility for coaches to learn and be innovative moving forward.

“I think it was a good decision based on the information they had and getting students back in school before we worry about athletics,” he said. “As a teacher I think that’s important,  but it’s going to overlap a little with the spring sports and I think it gives us as coaches and athletes a better chance to communicate and find ways to be creative, to have our opportunities.” 

Other coaches voiced similar positive, but careful, attitudes. Track coach Brett Hartman is hopeful about having a spring season, now just over six months away.

“I’d say I'm cautiously optimistic about having a track season right now,” he said. “The district is doing the best it can to at least offer opportunities.”

Boys’ basketball coach Michael Johnson sees struggles but remains upbeat about the upcoming winter season. 

“There will be challenges with being the first sports, no doubt,” he said. “The exact format, timing, and schedule may be different than what we are used to, but I am definitely optimistic about us having a season in some form.”

However, varsity soccer coach Matt Callahan sees many potential challenges due to postponing fall sports.

“The overlap of fall and spring sports is a major discussion, with facilities and how we can deal with that,” he said. “With volleyball, girls soccer and other sports using the gym during the later winter, it may be tough to schedule. This will be a major obstacle to overcome, and our facilities will be pinched.”

Coaches are definitely not the only ones concerned. Senior and captain of the girls soccer team, Ciarra Prill worries about the unknowns of a soccer season, especially after missing out last spring.

“As a captain this year, I would be devastated if we lost another season,” she said. “We missed out on our junior season [last year] and missing out on a second year would definitely suck.”

OASD Superintendent Dr. Vicki Cartwright also has concerns moving forward, however, she asserts that the safety of all involved is her absolute number one goal amidst the uncertainty and difficult decisions to come.

 “No one wanted to make this decision,” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s just due to the circumstances that we are in right now. Our responsibility to keep our students safe is extremely important. So the safety risk behind it was one of the most compelling reasons why fall sports were moved.”

Despite high school sports shutting down and rescheduling, many private leagues have been going at full throttle. As Director of Coaching of Oshkosh United Soccer Club, Callahan describes why these leagues are taking place and their importance compared to the district’s decision.

“For United to play, there is a 29-page document that we have to follow,” he said. “The club soccer scene is willing to give it a try, and some clubs like Appleton have directors of coaching where it’s their full time job. So if they don't have a season, they don't get paid, so there is a tremendous motivation to have a season. The school district doesn’t make money off of the sports, so if it seems risky, they’ll simply cancel it.”

Like some athletes and coaches, senior and Oshkosh United athlete Demetri Voulgaris has cautious optimism about returning to contact sports, but believes it is crucial for young athletes to play the game they love.

“I believe there is risk in the fact that if we are coming in contact with other players who may have been exposed or transmitted COVID-19,” he said. “That being said, our private league has developed safety precautions for players, officials, and the audience to prevent this from happening. Since I'm a senior, being able to play is a blessing despite the risk, but whatever it takes to touch the ball I’m in.”

Conversely, Cartwright says the precautions taken by the district will be much more stringent, and that the safety of fall athletes cannot be compromised; the fall season must be transferred to early spring to ensure the success of programs.

“The level at which we are expected to keep our students safe is probably higher than a lot of outside organizations,” she said. “In addition to that, we did, as you know, during the summer, have some camps in order to provide some of those opportunities and what we found was that even in our non-contact sports, we were still having students who were having close contact or coming down with COVID.”

First in the line of fire, winter sports may face the biggest challenges yet. With the winter season being the first to reopen, senior hockey player Dylan Sprister says he is not too worried about transmitting COVID-19 amidst the current athletic safety precautions. These precautions have been tested among various programs, including the hockey team, over the summer with varying success.

“I am not concerned at all over transmitting COVID-19,” he said. “I have yet to have anyone I played with get it, and that makes me optimistic about playing this winter.”

Even though many feel comfortable playing amid a pandemic, senior Eva Beeth is nervous about an unorthodox senior season.

“I’m definitely hesitant for the continuation of COVID-19,” she said. “I also fear that fans will not be able to attend games which would be heartbreaking.”

Nevertheless, Callahan claims that progressing with athletics programs will create chances for COVID-19 to spread, depending on the sport.

“You have sports like wrestling, which is very risky, with close contact, indoors,” he said. “Whereas golf, for example, will not be a problem.”

This pandemic has not only had an effect on student safety, but also on these programs’ pockets. West Athletic Director Brad Jodarksi says COVID-19 has had an enormous impact economically, possibly for the better, despite effects on the community. 

“I think we’ll end up saving a little because things won’t be like they were in the past, but if for some reason we don’t get to compete at all, then obviously there will be bigger cost savings,” he said. “But the district loses revenue from ticket sales from events like homecoming that bring a large number of people into the community, and now there are people that then aren’t going out to restaurants, maybe not staying overnight in town. The impact is not only on West but also on the greater community.”

Jodarski says the district is working hard to have a “normal” sports season because of the effect these activities have on the well-being of students.

 “My biggest priority and focus is ‘can we find ways to allow kids to participate in something?’,” he said. “Kids need these programs more than ever right now because we have been unable to do things we have been accustomed to for about six months now and it’s hard on everybody. I can’t imagine the upperclassmen who don’t know if they’ll have a senior season. It’s going to take all of us working together to make things better and hopefully those opportunities will exist for parents, for coaches, for kids, for grandparents, and for just people who love watching high school activities whether it be sports, music, and concerts.”