Photo courtesy of WYFI
Since COVID-19 was first known about, sports have been one of the events that has been hit the hardest by it. Sports at San Luis Obispo High School have also been largely affected. Last year, many spectators were not allowed to come, and players also had to wear masks while playing in many sports.
Whether it’s basketball, an indoors, close-contact sport, or tennis, an outside, long-distance sport, all of the sports at SLOHS have been affected by COVID-19 in at least some way.
The strict COVID-19 restrictions from last year generally went along the lines of limited spectators allowed to attend events (and must wear masks if they do), and many sports requiring their athletes to wear masks while playing.
Boys’ and girls’ volleyball are some examples of sports that had to wear masks last year, and have to again this year. “Our athletes may not feel it is ideal to wear masks while playing, but it helps us to stay safe, so we will do what is necessary to be as safe as we can,” said volleyball coach Nicole Linman.
Though this year, the mask requirements have been lifted, the same cannot be said for other sports, particularly indoor sports which are close-contact.
Masks aren’t the only thing that has been an effect of COVID-19 on sports, however. Many sports experienced a decline in the amount of players, as well. Athletes sometimes didn’t want to play a sport among other people during a pandemic or the athletes actually had COVID-19 and were quarantining,
Last year, the sports schedule was also very different compared to past years. Fall and winter sports weren’t being played during these seasons due to COVID-19, and were pushed into spring. Because of this, there were multiple sports happening in spring at once, messing with the schedules of both athletes and teams.
“Both boys and girls played at the same time and both had a shortened season,” said Linman.
COVID-19 has had a large impact on SLOHS sports in the past and the present, so athletes and coaches alike are all hoping for better circumstances.