By J1 Reporter Lily Mausbach 

Desks are 6 feet apart and if they aren’t, they have 2-foot tall transparent plexiglass up all around to make you feel like you’re in a box, four blocks a day. Lunch for Marian girls is their break, take off your mask, drink some water and socialize with friends you don’t have in your classes.

Unfortunately, this break in the day was slightly altered for athletes during the fall season. They were required to be in their own section at lunch 8 feet apart instead of 6. One athlete explained it was to ensure that athletes were taking extra precautions because they were continuously exposed to students from other schools. In the possibility of this continuing for winter sports junior basketball player Kate Timmerman said, “I love the sport, and at least I’ll be with my other teammates.”

However, in the very recent cases of Marian students testing positive for COVID-19, four were volleyball players and four were softball players. A few students questioned the irony that only athletes were going the extra mile to keep safe, but they still tested positive. It is inevitable to completely avoid the pandemic, but for athletes who are in continuous contact with each other and with players from other schools the extra mile of 8 feet apart at lunch is crucial. The number of athletes who tested positive could’ve easily been 18 instead of 8. They can quarantine and get right back to their sport as soon as possible especially if they have districts, state, and important meets. 

Contrary to recognizing the importance of keeping Marian athletes safe are their other Marian activities who should be valued the same in new regulations? Dancers and cheerleaders share some of the same common characteristics as the athletes. They are often exposed to other schools because dancers participate in Creighton Prep activities, for example. However dancer’s activities are different from other athletes who play indoor sports because for their activities, they are outside.  Cheerleaders may not participate in close contact with other schools, but their activities do remain inside.

Another example would be activities like the musical which was completely postponed for the fall. If those students were apart at lunch like some of the athletes, the question would be, would it make a difference of whether they could still put on a production. Junior Lauren Montague said, “Girls would be very willing to quarantine so that it could become possible [to have a musical].” 

It has become clear to students that Marian is concerned about the well being of their students and are doing everything they can. This is unavoidable and, “It’s going to happen everywhere (not just volleyball),” Maggie Rosenlolf ‘22 said.