When COVID-19 first hit the United States, everything shut down, including all sports. Professional sports teams had to figure out how to navigate around COVID-19 while still doing the sports they love. During the year 2020, sports teams were still playing without a crowd which overall affected the feeling of the game. With weekly COVID-19 tests and social distancing, they continued their season with many restrictions to keep all players safe. Even with the players being quarantined and following protocols, many players still contracted COVID-19, which affected how the teams would play depending on which players were sick. By 2021, the COVID-19 vaccine had come out and many athletes were receiving it. Shortly after that, this vaccine was required for all professional athletes in order to continue playing. Freshman Joaquen Toscano said, “I play soccer and when COVID-19 hit, practices and games were canceled for a year and some rules also had to change.” He also said, “When you’re not playing, you have to wear a mask but when you are playing you don’t have to.” Things were changed for many sports as new rules and protocols were coming out. 

This pandemic has been an inconvenience to many players, with the constant tests and required mask wearing. Sophomore Joshua Henry said, “I play lacrosse and my 8th grade season was cut short and my freshman season started late but we don’t have to wear masks.” While some sports are not requiring masks anymore, their seasons are trying to get back to normal after the long few years of the COVID-19 pandemic.