Questions about Football: To Play or Not to Play

The question of fall sports has been up for grabs this year for many high school athletes around Colorado.

It was clear that precautions needed to be taken in order to keep the athletes safe with the current pandemic. This had many athletes wondering whether or not we would have a fall season, spring season, or any season at all.

Once the news that football would be moved to the spring by the Colorado High School Activities Association was received, there were mixed emotions among players. Some were relieved to see that the season would start in general, while others were devastated about how this could have an effect on them personally.

“I think the precautions that were taken are smart, but I am still missing the season very much,” senior linebacker Benito Hernandez said.

I am happy that the season wasn’t cancelled indefinitely, but I am still worried about how this will affect college recruiting, scholarships and whether or not the season will even still stand in the spring time.

With the season in the spring many questions will arise for football players across the states. While I would like to continue my athletic career into the next level, I wonder how the pandemic will affect how I may be recruited.

Other states are still playing football in the fall. This will allow them to be able to put out film and statistics this year for colleges to view when recruiting.

“I hope that colleges do the right thing and adjust their recruiting process and periods,” offensive line coach Dean Dodero said.

We will be able to do the same, but the question is still how that may effect athletes in Colorado. Being that we will be delayed, we will get our stats and film out months after those who played in the Fall. With this, worries arise about how scholarships will be handled and given out to athletes across the country.

“I think with what’s going on, they’re going to be forced to do so to fill those recruiting classes,” Dodero continued.

Additionally, many football players and coaches alike are in a weird position given that workouts over the summer had already begun before we received the news. Unfortunately we had to discontinue the workouts after we found out. This leaves the question of how we will pick up again come Spring.

I am craving the ability to get out and play just as much as the next guy, but there is also still question about how the specifics of the season will be. All that can be known for sure is that it will be much different. We are hoping that we’re still able to receive fans at games along with all of the traditions that come with Friday Night Lights.

The last of many conflicts with a spring season is how our other spring sports will be affected. I have been running track since I was a freshman so this year I will have a much shorter season now that Football will be taking up some time from that sport.

It is a blessing to know that football will still stand  in the Spring of 2021. But the uncertainty of the how the season, and how people will be affected individually still looms among athletes.