Letter to the Editor: Why Aren’t Some Teams Wearing Masks?

Dear Editor,

I am incredibly interested in finding out more about how COVID-19 has impacted sports teams at SUU.

Why do some sports practice with masks and why others don’t? For instance, I’ve been told that the volleyball team practices with masks on because they are an indoor sport, but the football team does not. If this is true, how does it make sense to have these football players continue to be face-to-face (literally) with someone who could be carrying the virus, let alone not being required to wear face masks because it is an outside sport?

Volleyball players are all making physical contact with the same ball, and their faces are not as close to each other’s like the football players, so are they at any lower risk than the football team?

I am just genuinely about these rules and the legitimate reasoning behind them. I think it would be an interesting topic for students like myself to read and learn about.

Sincerely,
Olivia Thornock