Ella Metzler ’22
COVID-19 has majorly affected day-to-day life, including how schools go about their after school sports. Oak Knoll has taken an intentional approach to ensure sports can still occur, all while being socially responsible and following protocols. During all practices, games, matches, and races, masks stay on at all times – besides when players physically play the sport – and six feet distance between players is strictly maintained. There is only a certain amount of people allowed inside the locker room to change after school; those who are waiting to change, line up in the gym and are sent in as others come out. Soccer, tennis, field hockey, cross country, and sailing have all been able to continue, establishing a sense of normalcy in the midst of this pandemic.
It took athletes some time to get used to the new adjustments that were made, but now they are easier to remember. Audrey Chobor ’22 participates in fall soccer, and says, “There is always a fear that one day our season will be canceled because of COVID, but it just gives us more motivation to play every game like it could be our last.” Although most sports are in full swing, volleyball is one of the few that has been pushed back to February. When asked how the season being suspended affected her, Megan Fehrenbach ’22 answered, “Volleyball is usually a staple in my life at OKS. It has definitely taken a toll on me, as I do not get to spend as much time exercising or spending time with my teammates.” Without their fall sport taking place, volleyball players are impacted physically and mentally. Despite this minor setback, Oak Knoll has done all they can to make certain that sports resume while following new guidelines to keep everyone safe, healthy, and in good spirits.