Brooke Womack
Staff Writer
New rules regarding masks during certain sports were adopted last week by the OSAA.
Track athletes, such as throwers, jumpers and distance runners are now allowed to compete without masks. Sprinters must continue to wear them but are allowed to let them fall down while running.
“When you run you tend to social distance yourself and this creates chances for spreading Covid to be low,” sophomore Isaias Carrillo said.
Besides track, golf, swimming, no contact cheer and dance, and tennis players competing in singles are allowed to play without a mask, meaning sports are moving in a positive direction with Covid guidelines.
One main reason the requirements of competing without masks changed so quickly was because of a serious health related accident due to running with a mask.
In John Canzano’s Oregonian sports column (published April 23), he writes about a girl from Summit High School that collapsed at the end of her 800 meter race due to what her coach called “complete oxygen debt” due to wearing a mask. She still set a school record in the process.
In the story he goes on to explain that only one state required their track and field athletes to wear masks while competing; surprise, it was Oregon.
In not one of those other 49 states had there been an increase in Covid cases just because their track or other non-contact athletes competed without masks.
“In Idaho we have been practicing since day one without masks. We also never stopped our season once because of Covid, and I’ve played two different sports this year,” Lakeveiw sophomore Haylie Graham said.
Although all sports aren’t fully unmasked at the moment, athletes are still very happy that things are starting to go back to normal.
“I think certain sports can definitely deal with wearing masks, but others shouldn’t have to because it restricts their amount of air,” junior Bella Davis said.
Now that individualized sports have begun to go mask free while competing, many are hoping that team sports start to do the same. As long as it’s safe to do so of course.
The Pioneer Press 