COVID-19 has affected everyone globally including students and athletes. Currently, the coronavirus has taken the lives of 365,000 Americans as well as 1.9 million humans in the world. The total number of cases has been rising every day; it is evident that high school sports are significantly less important than the health and lives of others.  

The promising news is fall sports were able to a have short, but complete season. Seton Hall Prep football had a six-game season, Soccer had an abbreviated six-game season but was able to advance to the finals of the North East Non-Public Championship and win, lastly Cross Country was able to compete in meets and the State Championship during this global pandemic. 

Governor Murphy previsously stated that winter sports could resume after they were paused in a December 4  executive order because of rising cases of COVID-19. Basketball tryouts started January 11, and hockey tryouts throughout the week of January 4-8. Hockey games were to start January 15, with the season extended to March 6. Basketball games were supposed to begin January 26, with the season ending March 6. Swimming and track practice is supposed to start on February 1, with competitions and meets to be held from February 16 through March 27. Wrestling has been delayed the longest because of close contact. Wrestling practice is set to begin March 1, and matches will take place from March 16 to April 24. 

There will be no state tournaments for basketball, swimming, or winter track, although the NJSIAA is still deciding on state tournament possibilities for wrestling. Unfortunately, all winter sports competitions will be held without spectators, so Pirate Nation will not be in attendance for Winter sports. The competitions will be limited to just the athletes, coaches, and referees under Murphy’s Executive Order 196 limiting indoor gatherings to ten people. 

With the latest news, it is uplifting to hear that the student-athletes that have been hoping to play their sport hopefully will, and the senior athletes can have a season to play together as a team one last time.