COVID-19 has ruined the hope of many students for the incoming sports seasons. Every day is like a waiting game to see what guidelines will change. While these guidelines affect everyone, they specifically impact these athletes as they aren’t sure if they will have a season or not. While football and volleyball seasons were moved to the spring in late July, basketball players still had hope for their season to occur on time. 

In October, the IHSA announced that they would continue with the plan to play basketball this winter. While this was great news, it left athletes with a big decision. Many athletes have already had to miss out on big events due to COVID-19, more specifically, the Cross Country team. The whole team had to quarantine the week of sectionals due to a player getting the virus. As this situation frightened other athletes, it made their decision even more important. Would they go to remote learning to avoid being quarantined? Or would they stay at school full time and risk getting sent home before a big game?

As many athletes were unsure of how long they would get to play, some decided that it would be best to go remote. One of these athletes was senior, Jake Townsend. Townsend looks forward to the basketball season every year. This is his last year to play and he wanted to take all measures to ensure that he wouldn’t miss any games.”I decided to go remote so I wouldn’t get quarantined for ten or more days and then have to miss a game just because I sat by someone who was sent home,” explained Townsend. “I’m really looking forward to this season because we should be good enough to bring a regional title back for the boy’s program.”

Another avid basketball player who couldn’t imagine missing any part of the unsure season was senior, Corrina Noble. Basketball plays a big role in Noble’s life so missing it seemed unbearable. “Basketball season is something I look forward to all year round and it is something I don’t want to miss a single part of,” said Noble. “Going remote is the best option because it eliminates so many possible ways for me to miss out on games or practices and lessens the contact I have with people outside of the team.”

While many athletes are taking this season day by day, there is no way to guarantee that they will get to play out their full seasons. As it gets closer into the season, GHS athletes are becoming more anxious but excited for the new experiences of playing sports in a pandemic