Earlier this month on Aug. 7, 2020, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) released a message stating that fall school sports are on a temporary pause. They will reconvene later this week, and the final decision is still unknown to the general public. 

Research has shown that the athletic part of a student’s life can also greatly impact their academic studies and results as well. In fact, it has been proven that students who have participated in a high school athletic and sport have actually been consistently receiving higher grades. The students have also been seen to be better at managing their time. 

A survey that had been conducted also revealed that those who actually did participate in an athletic during their time at high school were 15 percent more likely to actually attend college once graduated. Even more than that, a study conducted in the year of 2007 showed that women who played a high school sport “were 73 percent more likely to earn a college degree within six years” of finishing high school. 

School isn’t always just about academic life either. More school sports athletes have shown traits of confidence, leadership, as well as self-respect compared to ones who did not. 

A rising freshman in the upcoming 2020 school year, Jennifer He said, “Personally, I think fall sports should continue this fall. I think this because I have been looking forward to the season and meeting new people with the same hobby as me. especially as a freshman, I think preseason will give us some time to get to know some people making it easier to enter high school.” 

School sports have often been a great chance for rising students to get to meet some new friends, especially with the big transition and all, it would definitely help to have an older student or two help show them around.

Of course, the biggest concern that factors into whether sports should resume or not is the ongoing coronavirus. Another rising freshman, Katherine Emmanuel states that even though “resuming school sports would enable students to display their talents and work together in a team environment, their safety is of utmost concern, so sports should be canceled until safety from COVID-19 can be ensured.” 

The PIAA and the coaches will be trying their best to follow all safety protocols needed to protect the students, and if followed while social distancing and taking care of your own health, there shouldn’t be an issue with the virus. 

Most fall school sports take place outdoors, where it is much harder to contract the virus. While some sports such as football and wrestling, where there is constant human to human contact may be canceled, other sports such as tennis and baseball would be quite safe due to the distance between all athletes and should be allowed to continue this upcoming season.