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Chloe Palmer Godsey

To Play or Not Play?

Updated: May 16, 2023



During the COVID pandemic many people have wondered what life will be like when it goes back to “normal”. Many questions have been answered and many questions have not. Cascade High School will be going back to in-person school, while following COVID restrictions and guidelines, on January 19th. Many students, staff, and parents are questioning if students will be able to play sports or not.


Athletic director Mr. Coffin said, “We are hopeful that sports will be coming back in February. We still have to be able to meet certain metrics in order to come back. Also right now Fall sports will be the first season offered when we get them going in February. Dates and lengths are still unknown.” Most of the details regarding playing sports are unknown by the school district. Everyone is hopeful to be able to play sports this 2021 school year.


One of Cascade’s counselors Katie Schmitten also knows how important physical activity is on teen’s health. Ms. Schmitten noted that, “Countless amounts of research have been done in regards to how physical activity helps aid peoples’ mental and emotional health – not only for adults but youth especially!” Knowing that research has been done, sports and all types of physical activities are good for teenagers and are beneficial to all.


According to the California afterschool network, “Participation in organized activities, including sports, is associated with greater emotional adjustment. Children and teens who engage regularly in organized sports tend to feel more skilled, capable and confident than their peers who do not participate. Girls who routinely play sports or do physical activity also report greater acceptance of their body image.”


Senior Kalin Oneal is adamant that the positive outcomes of students playing sports will far outweigh the negative implications. “I think at this time during the pandemic sports and schools can take appropriate action to ensure safety of coaches and players. Sports can be essential to some students mental and physical health. If students or parents are not comfortable with participating, they do not have to, but students who are comfortable playing should be able to. If Leavenworth can have hundreds of tourists walk downtown, we should be able to safely play the sports enjoy.”


Hunter Rodgers is also another one of the students at Cascade who agree that sports should start when Kodiaks go back to school. Hunter’s opinion on sports starting up again is, “School sports should come back as soon as schools re-open up. For some kids it's their only way to socialize and taking that away from them can ruin their social lives. Students are already getting robbed of a normal school year, the least the schools can do is let us play sports again. Also, for seniors that are trying to get scholarships to completely cancel sports would be devastating to them. They’d lose their prime year to try to get offers to play their sport in college.’’ Knowing that there's even a possibility for students to be able to participate in sports this school year, while following COVID guidelines, even if students must wear a mask to play, it would still be worth it.


Not only do students want sports to come back, but sports are also proven to be beneficial to their mental and physical health. The University of Missouri Health Care Department states that, “Many athletes do better academically...sports teach teamwork and problem-solving skills...[and] sports boost self-esteem". Knowing that most students do better academically when playing a sport, is another positive outcome of why Kodiaks should be able to play sports when school starts in person this 2021 school year. “Playing a sport requires a lot of time and energy. Some people may think this would distract student-athletes from schoolwork. However, the opposite is true. Sports require memorization, repetition and learning — skillsets that are directly relevant to class work. Also, the determination and goal-setting skills a sport requires can be transferred to the classroom.”

Many students don’t realize all of the other benefits they receive when playing a sport, knowing that sports can help academically, hopefully more students will want to participate.


There will always be benefits to all physical activities, everyone has a different opinion on sports, many people are wondering if the benefits of sports are going to outweigh the possible safety risks or depending on if they play or not. Sports have a positive impact on students. Sports being played safely will be beneficial, knowing that students can be physically active, even though there is a pandemic occurring. Many students are willing to participate even considering the circumstance.

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smorgan218
24 feb 2021

I'm so happy for all my fellow seniors that we are being given one last sports season after the lack thereof last year.

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