Highlights: First-year football players amidst COVID-19
by The Denisonian
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MAGGIE WHEATLEY & SARAH WULLNER, Specials to The Denisonian—During the time of COVID-19 the sports world is more uncertain than ever.
Although the fall season is cancelled, practices have still gone on. The Denisonian interviewed freshmen football players to see their perspective on fall semester.
First, we interviewed Ben Tate (Sports Medicine Head of Athletic Trainers). He explained what precautions the football team is taking.
“The team is responsible for cleaning all equipment used after practice, as they take care of and wipe down their own equipment,” he said. He explained that for the first two phases of football, masks are required under helmets. By the third phase they hope to have masks off. The two-week periods consist of small groups before a full team activity can take place.
“From time-to-time, players have trouble with masks especially with the field being down the hill but they are still willing to play with masks because they love the sport,” he continued.
They practice in groups of fifteen and if one player tests positive then the rest in their group will be tested. If there are more positive cases from that, then other groups in the team will be tested. There have not been any positive cases for the team yet, according to Tate.