Winter student-athletes switch to virtual

Deegan Cornelius | staff writer

After the confirmed four positive cases of COVID-19 by the school officials, many winter sport student-athletes have begun to worry their season may be at risk.

With the upcoming basketball, wrestling, swim, club volleyball, and cheer season and an increase in COVID-19 cases as Scott County moved to orange status last week, athletes have had worries about being quarantined for a majority of — or all of — their season.

To counter this, some student-athletes have switched or contemplated switching to virtual learning, especially boys and girls basketball players.

“The reason I chose to go virtual was so that I could stay healthy and hopefully not get quarantined anytime during the season. We could have games cancelled any day due to COVID, and I did not want to take the chance of missing any games we have left due to being quarantined for two weeks,” Zoe Zellers (12), center for the girls basketball team, said.

Forward Hannah Stutsman (10) has also switched to virtual for the girls’ basketball season.

“I have chosen to go virtual due to COVID-19 reasons. Me and a few of the other team members decided it was best if we went online for [the] season. I think this season will be fun and exciting,” Stutsman said.

With the county going to an orange level advisory after reaching more than 650 cases and 20 deaths due to COVID-19 as of press time, going virtual may become more common for athletes in the coming seasons. Games will be further limited in spectators under the orange level.

However, not every athlete can go virtual.

“I think that going virtual for me would be hard because I need to be able to talk to my teachers in person to understand assignments,” Olivia Fugate (10) said. “I plan to be as safe as possible while doing in person by limiting my contact with others, washing my hands, and wearing my mask.”

Still, for Zellers, she wants to play her senior season, which spring sports athletes last year did not get a chance to do when schools closed nationwide during the beginning of the pandemic in the U.S.

“This is something that had to happen for me if I wanted to play my entire senior season. For this plan to be fully effective, I will be virtual until our season ends in February.” Zellers said.