By: Dillon Benson  

     Due to Covid, this year’s fall sports are going to be a little different compared to previous years. There have been multiple changes to rules and how athletics typically occur. Adjusting to changes has been tough for parents and athletes and has also caused a giant headache for our athletic director here at Eisenhower. Athletic Director, Mr. Penley, has done a great job so far, but has also faced many challenges.  

     When The Squire interviewed Mr. Penley, we asked about the challenges faced and he replied, “A lot of schools don’t want to play and schools change their rules every day and that becomes frustrating.” Mr. Penley has had to check in with our competing schools even more often than usual, in order to find out what is happening at various schools and how that could affect our school’s teams. It is also very frustrating because there’s no set schedule, so every week sports schedules could vary.  

     There are also many new rules and guidelines that players and coaches must follow due to Covid. When asked about these new rules and guidelines, Mr. Penley explained, “Everyone must get evaluated every day for Covid, wear face covers when not participating in the event, and social distance, Also, there is a limited number of players allowed in the locker room at a time.” Many of the rules students previously followed have changed and made it more difficult for coaches and players to enjoy the sports they love. Some of these rules are straight from the state government and some of the school rules are mirrored off state rules as well.  

     Although the rules may be inconvenient, we must follow them in order to keep participating. We, as students, must help our Athletic Director by doing as we are told and following the rules so we can continue to play the sports we love. The Squire asked Mr. Penley for some advice to give to fall athletes so fall sports continue to take place.  He said, “As frustrating as it is, we must follow all the rules and respect other school’s rules because there are always people pushing for change.” If we listen to Mr. Penley’s advice, we should be able to continue to enjoy our fall sports. Stay tuned as The Squire will keep readers updated as we transfer from fall to winter sports.