On Friday night, after 48 days without a high school event, sports will return to Cherokee County when the Murphy football team scrimmages Enka. That’s something I’ve been looking forward to since I left N.C. A&T after the 1A track championships on June 25. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of finding stories to fill the local sports page for the last six weeks, but am ready to get back out there and cover games again.
I’m excited to see what the fall season looks like in the Smoky Mountain Conference, though unfortunately it’s not going to be as normal as we thought it would be earlier this summer. I got both my COVID-19 vaccine shots shortly after moving here, and thought that was the last time I would think about having to wear a mask again.
However, there I was slipping one on again after walking into Ingles on Saturday, mostly to protect others as well as myself from the Delta variant. Vaccinated individuals can contract and spread the Delta variant, though their symptoms are generally much less severe than those who have not been vaccinated.
While cases haven’t surged in Cherokee County like they have in other parts of the country, so far August has been the worst month for COVID in the county since January, according to The New York Times. Just 39 percent of county residents ages 12 and older are vaccinated, which mean this is a high-risk area for the spread of the new variant. I don’t think lockdowns are returning, but it is important to know we’re not out of the woods yet.
So what does this mean for high school sports? Masks are optional in Cherokee County Schools, and both Andrews football coach James Phillips and Murphy coach Joseph Watson said the only time they’ll be required is when they’re on the bus traveling to games.
The coaches also said they have told their players to minimize risk, such as not going to practice if you’re not feeling good. That’s a lot better than when sports returned in January, when there were daily temperature checks, and teams and coaches had to wear masks at practice and in games.
In a way, sports have led the way in how to deal with COVID-19. By portraying it as something that can get away with the success, it encourages athletes and coaches to sacrifice to make sure you can have the best season possible. In the end, playing sports is better than playing no sports at all.
Justin Fitzgerald is the sports writer for the Cherokee Scout. Call him at 837-5122, Ext. 18; or email sports@cherokeescout.com.