FOND DU LAC, WI (Sabre Voice) – Since Covid-19 took away the fall sports season, athletes are excited to hit the field. Some may have to make a life-changing decisions due to their health.  

Kaitlyn Croeker, a Marian University senior, majoring in exercise in sport science, is looking forward to graduating and playing softball in this spring semester. As it is her last year, she wants to go out, play, and return to her spot as third baseman on the softball team. According to Croeker, she is excited to get to know her softball sisters — particularly the freshman — and to grow as team.

 She is ready to get back into he game and play against opponents after their season ended in Florida last spring. The team will work towards the conference tournament and make this year unforgettable.

Covid-19 affected many athletes at Marian University. With the pandemic hitting in spring semester of 2020 track and field athletes were not able to compete or practice. Kamajjae Patterson, a junior criminal justice major and a psychology minor, is looking forward to being around her teammates, “because we are a family, what makes us a family is our bond we all have to support one another.” She also hopes to beat her personal record and add more records to the record book.  

Last spring, when Covid-19 threw the track and field season up in the air, Patterson began to think she was wasting her time with two to three workouts a day, and now she has to take her health into consideration, as wearing a mask affects certain medical issues she has, she said.  

“It made me not want to do track and field anymore, especially when it comes to wearing a mask during sports,” said Paterson. “It all comes down to playing the sport I love or risking my health.” 

Wearing a mask is also a concern for sophomore Whitney Jackson. A psychology major and communication minor, Jackson is on the women’s basketball team, and said that playing the sport “is not the same” now that they have to wear a mask, which is “inconvenient for everyone.” Despite that, she is looking forward to the season and personal training with one of the boys on the men’s basketball team.