Sports in a Global Pandemic

By Megan Gates

Sports are significant to every community, and no other district is more supportive of their teams than our very own McFarland community. Although, McFarland athletes are experiencing, for the first time, the cancellation of entire sports seasons. While these bizarre and, let's face it, extremely surreal circumstances may be viewed as simply unfortunate, the cancellation of sports may be causing more harm to our athletes than previously thought. A recent study by the members of the University of Madison School of Medicine and Public health, regarding athletes’ physical and mental health, displayed shocking results about the effects of the cancellation of sports, and several of our own McFarland athletes revealed their feelings about the situation as well.

While the cancellation of sports in schools may seem insignificant to the extremity of the Coronavirus, a recent study by the University of Madison School of Medicine and Public health, in which experts surveyed 3,243 adolescent athletes in Wisconsin, suggests otherwise. The study assessed the mental health, physical activity, and health related quality of life of athletes. The results revealed that 65% of the athletes surveyed reported anxiety symptoms in May 2020, and 68% reported symptoms of depression in May 2020. In addition, moderate to severe depression was three times higher during May 2020. Physical activity went down 50%, and quality of life additionally decreased. The study also revealed that approximately 68% of those involved reported feelings of anxiety and depression at levels that would typically require medical intervention; that’s up 37% from past research studies. Sports have become a dominant component of the lives of many adolescents, with several athletes participating in multiple time-consuming sports, and it is evident that an abrupt cancellation of that part of their life is proving to be detrimental.

The study previously mentioned revealed mere statistics, however several of our very own McFarland athletes provide their own thoughts on the cancellation of sports. Three sport athlete, Katie Hildebrandt, who recently committed to North Dakota State University to continue her basketball career, shares that her teammates and her “have been working so hard for one last season, and are really hoping for one last chance to show what we have been working towards.” In addition, three-sport athlete Maddy Fortune, and swimming state-champion Mara Freeman, describe an overlooked part of sports that they feel that they are missing out on: simply seeing their teammates. While Freeman shares that “it’s just hard not being able to compete when you have such a love for your team and have goals that you want to achieve,” Fortune additionally explains, “my teammates are like a second family to me and I can’t wait for the day we get to play together again.” Furthermore, varsity soccer player, Grace Breuchel, describes her experience following the cancellation of the girls soccer spring season: “Not having sports felt like I was missing out on opportunities and that part of my normal life was missing,” she says, “I really missed the social interaction with my teammates and friends that I would have normally had with soccer.” Not only are our athletes unable to see their closest friends and teammates; they are additionally lacking the sense of normalcy that sports would otherwise provide.

In addition to the consequences previously described; athletes Zach Nichols, Matthew Schutt, and Chase Quelle describe their own experiences with the cancellation of sports. Zach Nichols, another one of McFarland’s three-sport athletes, explains his opinion. “I mean, you make some incredible memories and friendships with your teammates, and when we look back at this time ten years from now, we are really going to feel like we missed out,” he shares. His comment suggests that not only do our athletes feel that they are missing out on opportunities to display their years of hard work and dedication, they additionally feel that they are being robbed of some of the most significant moments of their adolescence that many reminisce about. Nichols’ soccer teammate, Matthew Schutt, provides an additional issue: “I feel less motivated than usual without being able to play high school sports,” explains Schutt. Without competitions and practices to look forward to, athletes are feeling unmotivated to complete schoolwork. The consequences of a lack of participation in school may be detrimental to the future of our athletes. Finally, football and hockey player, Chase Quelle, sums up what many athletes are feeling about the cancellation of sports. He explains that, “It’s actually really hard on me, and I would assume other students too. Not playing sports...it’s just so different, and it affects my life so much. I’m not really as excited for school as I used to be.”

Given the information provided, it is evident that the cancellation of sports is affecting the many athletes of McFarland significantly. Who knows what the results of an additional cancellation of the anticipated upcoming seasons would be. It is important to take into consideration the effects that the current situation is having on students, and do whatever possible to ensure a safe continuation of sports.