Covid-19 has had a major impact on all students, but it definitely had a major impact on athletes. It has also had a major impact on how coaches do their job. Not just on the court or on the field but also in the classrooms.  

 “ I can’t stand up and walk around like I usually do, when I teach I’m usually walking around. “ Girls’ Head Basketball Coach, Lin Ellis said, “That is one of the reasons I have my desk set up as I do, I can stand in the middle and talk and do everything. I can’t do that anymore. I like to be able to face my students and talk to them, not at them, and right now I feel like all I do is talk AT them. I sit behind this desk and tell them what they need to know, but I’m not talking to them, and it sucks.”

There also have been many challenges that our staff has faced. 

“Keeping everyone safe while also still trying to keep practices as normal as possible,” Head Football Coach, George Taylor said. 

“Virtual learning, I mean, like a lot of the stuff that I do is in the classroom. I can give them the information but I have no way of knowing if they are actually learning anything when they’re online. I can’t see their faces, I don’t know if they’re writing the notes down, anything like that. I have to trust the fact that they’re actually going online, reading the stuff that I give them and there’s no way for me to know, they just click on it, it looks like they look at it, and it’s done. I have to hope that they do it but I know they’re not.” Ellis said. 

Due to Covid, there are a lot of things that people are no longer able to do.

“I miss being able to see people’s faces,” Ellis said. “I miss all the kids being able to come to school and play sports and not have to wear a mask. The freedom to go to the water fountain I miss, and the freedom to play, workout, and exercise without a mask on.” Head Volleyball Coach, Kelly Herr said. 

During Covid, sports are still continuing. 

“We need to make things as normal as possible for kids, this is something that they have never experienced, and even now I see kids in the hallways and they look lost. For the kids that play sports, this makes it more normal for them. It gives them a reason to want to be here.” Ellis said. 

“Kids need the activities, they need something to keep them busy. I would say 90% percent of the kids here are involved in something, athletics, academics, band, FFA, that’s their draw to get them to school.” Taylor said. 

With all the negatives that have come with Covid-19, there have still been some positives.

“ I think we’re all more conscious of our health, I think we’re a little more conscious of washing our hands and being safe around others,” Taylor said. 

Another positive is that some use COVID-19 as a learning experience.

“The appreciation for some of the things I may have taken for granted. I appreciate my athletes in volleyball. They didn’t let it stop them from reaching their goals. Even though we had extra rules, extra precautions they still worked hard, they still did what they had to do, they followed the rules, and succeeded.” Coach Kelley Herr said.