Football + Covid-19 = different type of season
November 6, 2020
I sat down for an interview with the CIHS football coach Shane Weibel to get his thoughts on the 2020-2021 football season. Mr. Weibel has worked at the Cambridge Isanti Highschool for more than twenty years, and this is his third year as the head coach for the football team. He also stated that he coached the previous nineteen years.
During the interview Coach Weibel mentioned there are a lot of returning players to the football team this year, he listed names such as Connor Braaten, Cole Patchen, and Luke Olson. When asked about what type of record he hoped the team would have this year he said they were hoping to be undefeated but did state that their record is 1-3. I questioned him about the playoffs and how they’ve changed since years past. He explained that usually there would be a section tournament to go to the state tournament.
“Because of Covid there’s only section tournaments. It also depends on whether or not those schools will be able to play because of Covid.” Weibel stated. He went on to say that the team has been dropped from many schools playing schedules due to them being quarantined.
Weibel was very surprised when he heard the entire season almost got canceled. He said that getting Covid while playing football would be difficult being that the players are outside and moving around. I asked about the safety precautions that they would be taking to not spread covid-19. Weibel listed the precautions they’re taking: including things such as moving around in practice every five minutes, when on the sidelines players are masked and socially distanced, and limited people on a bus, and in the locker room there’s no hanging out it’s just get in, get out.
Lastly, I asked about the fans and what safety precautions they would have to take. Mr. Weibel said “They have to put a request in for tickets so we can contact trace if there is an exposure somewhere.” He also said there can only be 250 fans at a game, asked to be masked and socially distanced. He went on to explain that the fans are seated on the opposite side of the stands from the players and that everyone has to leave before the team can leave.