After initially being canceled and through months of uncertainty, JC’s winter sports have officially begun. These sports include basketball, swimming, and wrestling.

To be able to do this, changes had to be made to allow for winter sports to be able to be played. One of these changes includes new rules for the team, spectators, and schools participating in the shortened season.
When addressing what changes had to be made to keep athletes safe, Director of Athletics, Seth Goldberg, said, “We will be wearing masks at all times while involved in practices and contests. Hand sanitizer will be available at all times as well as wipes for equipment. When possible, six feet of distance will be maintained.”
One of the most notable changes made to the winter season is the length of the season itself which has gone from months-long to just a few weeks long. The length of the season will vary by sport, but all sports will have completed their seasons by the end of March. Although this is not an ideal situation, most athletes are grateful to be having a season.
“Unfortunately, we are in two separate leagues for our boys and girls to start. Each league has handled winter sports in their own way. Therefore, that has impacted what type of season each sport has. We are also at the mercy of facilities and opponents. Therefore, some of our sports have had less games and others more games. Overall, we are working with all schools, facilities and our coaches to give our student athletes the best experience with the limitations under which we are operating. All leagues and schedules for winter sports will be completed by the end of March.”
For spectators who wish to come to games, the decision is on a school-by-school basis. Some schools will allow no spectators while others will admit a certain number. JC has made the decision to allow a single parent per athlete to come and watch games.
“Our administration has worked hard to give our athletes a chance to compete and our parents a chance to watch. We are allowing one parent per athlete to come to the games, just like we did this fall for volleyball. The one outlier is swimming; since we swim at the Bel Air Athletic Club, we cannot have spectators.”
One obvious concern for the teams has been what the protocol will be if an athlete tests positive for COVID.
Mr. Goldberg has said that if an athlete gets COVID, the entire team will have to quarantine for 10 days.
This is to keep everyone safe, but it will take a substantial bite out of an already short season.
Organizing a winter sports season has not been easy. Between changing regulations and communicating with other schools, it has been a challenge to organize a season for the teams. Even though circumstances are not ideal, athletes and their families have all been extremely supportive.
“We have had an overwhelming support from our parents and athletes. Sports play an important role in our development and mental well-being. Having these student athletes back with their teammates and coaches has been a tremendous experience. It really does take a village to pull this off. From our parents and students to the administration, it has been an ultimate team effort,” Mr. Goldberg said.