Yarmouth High School Undergoes Astronomical Changes to their Fall Sports Seasons
INCLUDING THE DEVASTATING CANCELLATION OF FOOTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL FOR THE STUDENTS AND COACHING STAFF.
by Madison Lestage
November 9, 2021
November 9, 2021
On September 10, due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the Mills Association in cooperation with the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) announced the cancellation of football and volleyball in Maine high schools this fall. However, they have decided that all other sports will continue on with competition as long as they comply with the drastic changes to their seasons. Unfortunately for Yarmouth High School students, they are no exception to these changes. Students are extremely shocked and upset about this season-altering news.
While football and volleyball were technically canceled, they were still given an opportunity to play this season. Football has the option to play 7-v-7 flag football, and volleyball has the chance to play as long as they’re outside.
While the football team was still able to play this fall, according to a senior football player, Evan Arnold, it just is not the same. Arnold said, “It feels like our season has been completely stolen from us.”
For Yarmouth volleyball, this means that there won’t be a season. Since there are no outdoor volleyball courts at Yarmouth, they have no place to facilitate practices or games. This leads to a loss of a season for the seniors as well as the rest of the team and coaching staff.
Sports such as soccer, field hockey, cross country, and golf are continuing their seasons with minor changes to the game, but drastic changes to the season and whole game environment. With only a few parents allowed to attend games, “It feels different, and not in a good way,” said sophomore soccer player Grace Lestage. Lestage went on to say that “Without the fans, it seems like our team has lost that extra bit of motivation that we really needed this year.”
Not only are no spectators allowed at the sporting games, but the Mills Association, in cooperation with the MPA, set a specific time limit on the seasons. All games are supposed to be completed before going into November (not including games rescheduled due to cancellations).
This cuts down the fall seasons by several weeks. In response to this, sophomore soccer player Maya Molloy is trying her best to remain hopeful and upbeat about the chance to have a season. When asked how she remains positive in the face of the changes to her season, Molloy said, “I just try to keep in mind that some of the towns around us aren’t able to play their sports at all. But we still get a chance to play, so I’m really happy about that.”
While there is still hope for the football and volleyball seasons to be played during the 2020-21 spring season, there is no confirmed word of that from the MPA yet. This impending decision to move the sports seasons to the spring forces all student-athletes and coaches who participate in these sports to wait in anticipation.
Since there are many students that play both fall sports and spring sports, they will be forced to choose to play only one. “With football being moved to lacrosse season, I have to choose between my two favorite sports,” says Arnold. “Choosing to play lacrosse means that I miss out on my last season of football.”
This is extremely devastating news, especially for all of the seniors who will most likely never have the chance to play one of their sports in high school ever again.