By Fateha Syed and Abigail Evans

Mt. Hebron High School is facing difficult decisions about its winter athletic programs due to Covid-19, which has had a significant influence on the decisions that coaches, players, and directors must make throughout this period.

Due to the uprising cases at Mt. Hebron, sports practice and participation has been changing on a regular basis. This includes sports and other extracurricular activities being canceled until January 3rd, which is very disappointing for many students at Mt. Hebron. 

When asked about this instability, Kayin Oladini, a sophomore basketball player, shared his thoughts by saying, “I feel like the on and off intervals we are having are affecting us dramatically. We aren’t being consistent with practicing as we should, which is having a negative impact on us.” 

Additionally, students have been told to take several measures before participating in events and playing games, but do they truly make a difference? Sadhana Balasubramanian, a sophomore track and field athlete, has mixed feelings about the safeguards being taken. 

“I think being safer and making it a rule is helping. For example, we wear masks indoors, but practicing indoors is worse at the same time because we are all closer together and there isn’t much social distancing that can happen,” she said. 

With all of this in mind, coaches have the ability to cancel their season any time they believe it to be a danger for the team. 

Soccer coach, Kyle Farson says, “I believe that the coach would have the best idea of the situation at hand and should have the ability to make these kinds of decisions. Coaches should have their players’ safety always in mind, so I would trust their ability to make the decision of being able to continue the season or not.” 

Due to the pandemic’s instability, this winter season has been difficult for coaches, student-athletes, and parents but when they’ll come to a permanent resolution remains to be seen.