COVID-19 can’t be allowed to shut out high school sports, again

High school golf has teed off, and volleyball, soccer, football and cross country will open their seasons over the next three weeks.

Like other areas of Kentucky, and the United States, residents in Whitley County have developed intense loyalties to Corbin, Whitley County and/or Williamsburg.

For some it will involve a particular sport during a particular time of year. For others, it doesn’t matter if the Hounds, Jackets or Colonels are playing football, volleyball, basketball, or if they start fielding a Hopscotch, tee ball, or competition Monopoly squad. They will be there, decked out in the school colors and ready to root the team on to victory.

Over the last year-and-a-half, the local teams have brought home a lot of hardware in just about every sport across the calendar.

The one dark spot was spring 2020 when COVID-19 shut out the entire sports world.

With the number of COVID-19 cases again spiking, we may be on the verge of another run of, “game called due to COVID.”

Football, soccer, cross country and golf should be in decent shape being outdoors, though that isn’t a guarantee that crowded stands, or a crowded field of runners jammed together at the starting line won’t result in spreading COVID–19.

Volleyball will be the first sport played in the high school gyms. While it doesn’t tend to draw the crowds seen in basketball, it has the potential to spread.

I don’t want the games called off. I want these athletes back in action.

To keep the athletes on the field/court, it may require some sacrifice on the part of the fans.

If you have been exposed to someone with COVID–19, or are showing some symptoms, do the right thing and stay home.

If you are insisting on attending, there are plenty of seats away from the crowd where you may enjoy the game and not potentially spread the virus.

I understand part of the allure of high school sports is the social aspect, but is it worth potentially putting someone you know and like through a bout with COVID–19?

Do you want to be the one that sends a rash of COVID–19 through one of the local teams, ending its season prematurely?

Be loud and proud of our local teams, but play it on the safe side. It is the least we can do for the athletes.