McQuaid Jesuit follows Monroe County Department of Health and the New York State High School Athletic Association (NYSHAA)  in pushing start dates for fall sports back to at least Jan. 4, 2021 due to COVID-19 guidelines.

Due to coronavirus health concerns, McQuaid Jesuit and many other schools in NY state decided to cancel “high risk” sports including football and volleyball until further notice due to county and state guidelines.

This decision not only has players upset with the cancelation of something that means so much to them, but it also presents other obstacles in the way of sports teams preparing for seasons that might not happen.

“COVID has dramatically impacted are practices,” Coach Dan Wilson, ‘93, the head coach for the McQuaid freshman football team. 

Wilson explained that there is no locker room for players to store their stuff in or change in. They have also banned any “football specific equipment” which takes many aspects of the physical game of football away.

These new challenges present additional difficulties for athletes who are seniors this year and could even affect their athletic aspirations in college.

 “Obviously this situation flat out sucks. However, you should never let what happens to you when you are a senior in high school define who you are anyway. McQuaid is so much bigger than just sports. It is about many things to many people,” 

Coach Wilson went on to say “There is a community, a spirituality, an academic rigor, and an emphasis on self sufficiency that seniors at McQuaid can still benefit from. Millions of American kids don’t get those things, and they are worse off for it. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

 The question on everyone’s mind as of now will there be a sports season.

“I truly hope there will be a season, but if 2020 has taught me anything it is that things change quickly. March is a long ways away, and who knows where we will be at that time,” said Coach Wilson.

Wilson makes the great point that many have brought up. Who knows where we will be ? What will we be doing ? Although many of us hope there will be a season. Nobody can be sure. But one thing is for sure sports are needed in these times of hardship.