Track season starts again; Sports dealing with COVID

      Spring sports have started, and students are excited to finally get to do something at the school. One of those sports is track and field.

      Track and field is a co-ed sport that consists of many different events, whether it be throwing, running, jumping, andneven pole-vaulting. Sophomore Jenna Amrhein is trying pole vault for the first time this season. “[Learning to] pole vault was a very different and new thing,” she says. “It challenged me. I look forward to it every practice.”

      With COVID-19 restrictions, runners are required to wear masks. “When we are running and exercising, we are allowed to have [masks] off,” Amrhein says. “It isn’t bad at all.”

      Everyone is also required to maintain six feet apart from one another. Amrhein says social distancing “is not preferable when talking to others but is necessary to keep the program running and can be achieved in an easy way.”

      “The masks and social distancing are not ideal for running, but they’re definitely necessary to limit the spread of covid,” senior captain Erin O’Leary says. “I’m happy to continue wearing them during practice as long as we get to have a season.”

     The Covid guidelines have continued to change as the season progresses. According to Coach Jimmy Cachola, some meets will be changed from dual to tri meets, and a previous rule stating that relays will not include baton handoffs was recently lifted.

     The first meet will be a tri meet against Fallston and Joppatowne on April 9, according to Athletic.net. After that, meets will continue to be held every Friday through the month of May. O’Leary is watching out for C. Milton Wright and Bel Air as the Hawks’ biggest competition this year. Although there is not currently a meet against CMW on the schedule for this season, the Hawks will take on Bel Air on April 30.

     Spring sports are the only seasonal school sports that have been playable after fall and winter got canceled. “I’m definitely happy that we’re getting a season at all,” junior Griffin Hevesy says. “More boys should do it.”

     The amount of people who signed up for track is less than half the number of people who have participated in previous years. Senior Andrew Patton,  who decided not to sign up this year, says it’s because “driving to school just for track when I wouldn’t be there otherwise didn’t make much sense, and if I did track I’d have to stop working.”

     “I am ecstatic about still having spring sports. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get out and play the sport they love that we shouldn’t take for granted,” Amrhein says.

     “My favorite part of Track is being able to push myself and improve with such a supportive and encouraging group around me,” Amrhein says.

     “The team atmosphere is awesome. Everyone is really nice and supportive. We’re all going to kill it,” O’Leary says.