Fall sports teams at Woodbridge High School have adhered to COVID-19 safety guidelines during practices and games to avoid communal spread and disruption to their respective season. 

The 2021 fall season has reintroduced an almost-regular schedule for sports. With the widespread use of masks, every sport has resumed normal play, including contact sports, like football and dance. 

Ashley Ring, a senior and dancer on the varsity dance team, feels that the masks add some level of difficulty to practices and games. She said, “Wearing a mask is hard to dance with. It makes breathing harder and the routine ends up being more tiring than it should be.”

But, the guidelines that had been set last year were more restrictive to the athletes. “It’s different from last year. We couldn’t even share pom-poms with anyone, but this year we can,” Ring said.

Despite those difficulties, many athletes are motivated to stay safe because the potential spread of COVID through their teams puts them and their season in danger. 

In terms of the guidelines for COVID overall, Ring said, “I think they’re fair. They’re helping us stay safe and healthy. We know if anyone gets sick we can’t continue.” 

Indoor sports, like volleyball, have also resumed. Coach Jacovinich, the coach of girls’ volleyball, like many coaches, has had to step up to the job of enforcing COVID guidelines. 

“As a volleyball staff, we have done our best to ensure that each player has a mask on when they are not actively playing on the court. This includes in the stands, on the bus and at away games.” Coach Jacovinich said. 

The consensus from athletes and coaches is that the guidelines in place for COVID are fair. “I feel that the COVID rules for volleyball are appropriate. I don’t think there are any negatives to them and being that we are an indoor sport the rules in place are obviously going to be a little different,” Coach Jacovinich said. 

Though guidelines vary from sport to sport, the teams at WHS are doing their best to follow them and stay safe. Now, as the fall season comes to an end, coaches and athletes are looking forward to a normal, but safe, winter season.