Coronavirus and High School Sports

SDPB Sports Beat Reporter Nate Web discusses covering high school sports in the midst of a global pandemic.

Katy Beem: This may seem like an obvious question, but what are the challenges of covering high school sports right now?

Nate Wek: “The last time we had a sanctioned high school sporting event was March 13. It’s the first time in my lifetime I can remember Friday the 13 th living up to the hype. I was obviously bummed when everything came to a screeching halt, but my emotions don’t even come close to what the student-athletes and coaches of South Dakota experienced. To say they were disappointed is an understatement. Over the past months I’ve had people ask me ‘Well, there aren’t any sports going on right now, so what do you do now?’ That’s easy, I still do sports!

Just because sporting events stopped for a period of time doesn’t mean the athletes, coaches, programs, or goals went away. Plans may have been slightly altered, but those kids and aspirations are still there. I’ve spent a lot of time talking with coaches and kids throughout South Dakota, especially seniors, who had their plans drastically changed due to COVID-19. With the South Dakota High School Activities Association giving sanctioned activities the green light for fall, we’re going to see these students getting back into the routines that we’re used to seeing.”

KB: How do you report with so much in flux?

NW: “I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring or what things will look like in a month. My goal is to continue to find the stories that make SDPB high school sports coverage and student athletes great. Until someone tells me NOT to, or things get cancelled, I’m going to treat this fall like I would any other year. Even though things could close up again in a month or so, I’m planning for a ten-month high school sports and activities season in South Dakota. And we have profile pieces, sports history and plenty of other stories to tell.”

KB: Coaches and schools are trying to ensure safety for their student athletes. Volleyball as an example: no teams switching sides, no player handshakes, a new or sanitized ball after each scored point. What are some other safety steps coaches/associations are taking that impact their sports?

NW: “The safety step that is consistent across the state is ‘personal responsibility.’ Most coaches feel like they can keep kids safe when it comes to practice and games, but what each student-athlete does outside of school and activities is going to be what makes or breaks this attempt at normalcy. A lot of coaches are asking their kids to be safe when outside of school – follow normal social distancing guidelines and avoid situations and settings that are labeled ‘high risk’ for potential at acquiring the virus.

Covering high school sports has become a huge passion in my life. It may seem like I’m overly cautious at times, but I want to see high school sports succeed this school year in South Dakota. That said, safety has to be the first concern. I honestly feel like it’s possible to be safe and have sports and activities this year, but it’s going to take a lot of personal responsibility throughout the state to make that happen. People need to wear masks and be smart with which circumstances they put themselves in.

I encourage people to reach out to me personally on Twitter @Nate_WekSDPB to pitch stories. I’m always looking for people to tell me about some of the great high school sports stories that South Dakota has to offer.”

Follow SDPB’s high school sports coverage, including updates and athlete profiles: Facebook: @SDPBSports Twitter: @SDPBSports

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