After an outrage and many protests and Facebook posts calling for leading health officials to “let them play”, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, announced that winter contact sports such as Ice Hockey, Wrestling, and Basketball may start with strict restrictions set in place to prevent the spread of COVID 19. It is unsure if these protests caused Whitmer and the state to change their minds.

Wrestling must have COVID tests before competition days to ensure that while they are competing without a mask on they are safe from COVID, hockey and basketball must wear masks while competing even though it may be difficult due to the excessive amount of running/skating, Utica-Ford Unified captain, senior Ethan Gherke, weighs in on this.

“Its hard to wear them, they’re super annoying and after a little while it gets difficult to breath and super hot and sweaty, especially when we’re on the bench after just getting off and catching our breath, it’s just super difficult to play with.”

Although it is tough to deal with, he says that the team is just happy to be playing again.

“Yeah its awesome, a lot of the boys didn’t see us playing at all especially with how strict our governor and her administration has been with all this, we’re just thankful for her opening us back up to be able to play.”

This announcement last week was very relieving for the seniors who most of which will not play at a level above high school, luckily it seems like no seniors will miss their senior seasons, unless someone on that respective team gets COVID which would put that team out for at least 10 days,  no matter what sport it is.

Everyone around the sports world is hopeful that we can stay on the field, ice, court, or whatever surface. Especially this year while everything else is so difficult around them.