USF SPORTS By: Eve Odum Staff Writer “We have all been deprived of the game we love,” said USF junior baseball player, Kevin Kardas. He is right. Athletes have been itching to get back on the field for almost a year and it has finally happened! At the start of February, multiple sports teams began competing with great precautions and rules in place.
Photo courtesy of Amy Polhemus
One of the most obvious precautions is wearing a mask. Track athletes are only allowed to take their mask off while running or competing in a field event. After the race ends, they are expected to put it back on. The same applies for bowling, since masks can only be off if they are on the approach to throw a shot. Another rule is that no spectators are allowed at any USF sporting event. Basketball, volleyball, soccer and football home games will be livestreamed at the University of St. Francis Fighting Saints Athletics YouTube account. Most away teams are also doing live coverage of the games. The lack of spectators and limited capacity impacts the energy in the room. The silence feels unnatural. In Illinois, track athletes who are not competing are required to stay in a team room outside the indoor track. Dance teams are taking an interesting approach to the season by being completely virtual and live streaming
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competitions. Junior Alyia Cady says that the USF dance team watches other teams compete by tuning onto their school websites. Similarly, the cheerleading squad has a hybrid season with the regional competition being held in person at the end of February. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, they will be unable to attend their annual Florida competition. The softball and tennis teams have a bunch of games lined up starting at the end of February. Golfers are practicing hard but competitions do not start until the end of March. Despite seasons being different, teams are still looking forward to competing and have high hopes for the semester. The cross-country team’s national competition normally takes place in the fall but was pushed to April this year. A handful of men and women are likely to compete and do well. Track indoor nationals will be in March and medals are expected. The baseball team is ranked first in the conference and is working hard to try and get a spot in the NAIA World Series. “We are in good spirits for the most part. We all want to win,” said Kardas. Win we will! Go USF Saints!
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