MY OPINION: Student-athletes wear masks for a reason — so we can have a season
October 6, 2020
This school year brought so many obstacles. With every rule of social distancing and wearing a mask all the time, it isn’t fun for any high school student.
It mostly isn’t fun for any student-athlete having to have their mask on all the time during practice and not being able to do most of the activities they did last year. But these athletes will do anything to keep their season going.
Football players started off by proving to everyone that they could have practice in the summer heat wearing their mask and following COVID protocols, and they did that because they wanted their season. They showed every athlete that nothing will stop them from having a season.
The most motivated are seniors. They want this last year to be their best year, so they will become those team leaders to make sure their teammates are always following rules.
Most student-athletes were scared they were not going to get a season. Just because Angelina College canceled all their sports, they thought Lufkin ISD would have to do the same. But the Texas UIL decided to start sports — not as soon as everyone wanted it to, but something is better than nothing.
Many of these students are willing to go through working out morning or afternoon, hot or cold, wearing their mask to protect coaches and teammates. Baseball, softball, track, cross country, football, basketball, tennis, Panther Pride, volleyball, cheer, band and soccer follow all protocols and still practice social distancing, all because they want to keep playing or doing what they love.
Coaches, athletes, students, faculty, even the community want these sports to go on, because everyone loves the excitement and joy of high school games. This just shows how more dedicated all these athletes are to go through wearing an uncomfortable mask and practice in it, so they can play and so the people can go watch some fun high school games.
We should all stay safe. Keep wearing your mask, and practice social distancing around the halls, so we can all have the best seasons and the best school year.
