Students. Are. Back

STUDENTS. ARE. BACK. BACK.

Fans return to the South stadium for the first time since the pandemic began.

Story by Simon Cox Reporter

Now almost four weeks into spring sports, a student spectator section for track meets, baseball games, and other spring sports may be on the horizon. The SMSD Spectator Guidelines are the most important factor to be aware of; if guidelines can be followed, a student section is possible.

“Student sections are not more ‘“complicated,’” but the student section can be a bit larger in numbers than others,” SMS Athletic Director John Johnson said.

A student section isn’t actually as complicated as it may seem. As long as the same guidelines are followed, it is a plausible addition to the spectating experience of spring sports.

The current guidelines for spring swim state that SMSD team(s) are allowed up to two spectators per participant(s). Exceptions for dive may be possible, only because there are fewer divers per team, making social distancing easier.

Baseball and softball are open seating, so it is encouraged that spectators bring lawn chairs or simply stand, due to limited bleacher seating.

Tennis and golf are open seating as well, and bleachers are main seating for track and field events, all of these sports including the normal distancing and masking guidelines.

The only reason a student section was not possible during fall and winter sports was because the guidelines were much stricter. COVID-19 numbers showed no sign of going down at the time, if they weren’t doing the opposite, and the situation was much newer, especially during the fall. A sport like basketball differs from football as well. In an indoor environment like a basketball stadium, it is much harder to social distance. This is one of, if not the main reason why a student section was not possible for basketball. The same thing was true for swim.

“We hosted boys state Swim at the Aquatics Center and no spectators were allowed due to limited space and the need to spread out the athletes,” Johnson said.

This is an example of guidelines contradicting a student section. While this was in the winter, the spring guidelines have not changed enough to allow a student section for swim.