Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the six fall sports this season must abide by new guidelines and screening procedures. Answering questions and having your temperature taken may seem like a hassle, but as with everything else, we must adjust to these new and changing times.

Unless you play or coach these sports yourself, you don’t know what the new rules are for the 2020 fall season. DGS athletic director Randell Konstans explains the new process for this season.

“Every athlete once they arrive at where the event is taking place they must have their temperature checked and must answer several symptom questions. Obviously wearing a mask at all times unless you are actively engaged in your sport. Since we have to be socially distant, we can’t have too many people grouped together at one time in one place so we have to stagger arrival times and move big events/tournaments around to fit the IHSA guidelines for this season.” Konstans said.

There have been many changes to the fall season this year. Konstans expands on the IHSA and the IDPH(Illinois department of public health) new guidelines.

“Since the spring, summer and now into the fall have been filled with the IDPH and DuPage county health department restrictions that have evolved and changed over time. The moving and shortening of some seasons and changing a lot of the previous guidelines….The coaching staff had to be trained to prepare for this new type of season and for coaches to figure out what is allowed for the season,” Konstans said.

All DGS athletes this fall had to adapt to the new circumstances as well. Senior Lily Vincent, Varsity cross country runner, illustrates what it’s like for an athlete in times like this.

“Every day before we enter the track we have to get our temperature checked, read a list of questions and tell the coaches if you have any of those symptoms….half the team arrives at 3:45 and the other half arrives at 4:00 pm. Our team is also split up into 6 groups based on time and you run your workouts and long runs with that group which is no more than 10 girls,” Vincent said.

Vincent describes what has been difficult about new guidelines this season.
“It has been a challenge as a captain to consistently have to remind girls to stay 6 feet apart because as girls we like to talk a lot and catch up about life…there are no spectators allowed to come to the meets so we can’t have our parents or friends cheering us on during the hard parts of the race which has made racing completely different and almost harder,” Vincent said.

Some people have often wondered if these new rulings still make these sports safe to play.
Vincent clarifies that she feels,” extremely safe,” while at practices and meets this season.

DGS counselor and boys golf coach Terry Tiesman has dealt with screening and Covid rules first hand. Tiesman interprets how handling a pandemic golf season has looked.

“So far it’s all gone pretty smooth, we, fortunately, have not had any issues yet. I appreciate how the guys are trying to protect themselves and protect the team…I don’t think wearing masks and asking questions has impacted the play on the golf course, but it’s just something we have to do every day which is something new,” Tiesman said.

With new rules and guidelines being changed almost every day by the IHSA and the IDPH, screenings and rulings for the upcoming seasons are not clear at the moment. High school athletes will continue to adapt to new rules as they arise for these upcoming seasons.