Hourglass 2021-22 Issue 3 Online

4|news THE HOURGLASS | MARCH 2022
Design and graphics by Cathy Wang ‘23 • Photography by Carly Goldenberg‘22
C ViD PROTOCOLS iN
THE ATHLETiC CENTER
Inconsistencies in Baldwin Athletic’s COVID rules cause confusion among athletes.
SARAH YING ‘22
CALLIE STOLTZ ‘22
SAVANNAH RHODES ‘22
As soon as the Athletic Center
doors open to Upper Schoolers
at 3:30 pm, all of the vigilant
health and safety procedures
followed in the Schoolhouse seem to
change. While mask mandates and
guidelines are strictly enforced in the
classroom, the rules pertaining to indoor
sports are more blurred, with some
confusion developing among athletes since
winter sports commenced.
Although there is a Baldwin Athletics
COVID health and safety plan, some of
the guidelines have proved impractical to
implement exactly.
The plan states that “All studentathletes
must wear masks when they are not
physically active (e.g., on the team bench,
pool deck, observing practice, riding team
buses).”
This seems to mean that, for example,
track athletes are supposed to put on their
masks during resting periods. However,
student athletes say that these resting
periods feel like active participation
because they are either still out of breath
and recovering from running or preparing
to begin the next set in a few moments.
Indoor track co-captain Thea
Rosenzweig ‘22 said, “Nobody is running
and then putting a mask right back on
because it’s not sustainable and is not
really possible.”
Kerrie Snead, Athletic Trainer and
Wellness Coordinator, provided some
clarification on masking rules in the middle
of strenuous competition.
Ms. Snead said, “If you’re
coming out, for example, for a 30
second basketball timeout, you
don’t have to put on your mask;
it’s the extended time periods
where players are sitting
next to each other that
you have to be masked
to avoid any sort of
quarantine.”
Ms. Snead
added, “The
main concerns
from the health
department
are [longer]
team events.
For example,
when the basketball
team is sitting on
the bench together or
having a team meeting,
masking guidelines have to
be stricter.”
Despite Baldwin’s best
efforts to keep its athletes
safe, close proximity
with others is sometimes
unavoidable, especially
in a contact sport like
basketball. Basketball cocaptain
Gabi Pritzker ‘22 recalled
a recent basketball game where she felt
uncomfortable getting close to a team
suspected of being exposed.
Pritzker said, “I
didn’t want to risk not
wearing a mask. There
is always the thought in
the back of my head saying,
‘maybe I don’t really want
to be this close to [the opposing
player]’.”
Basketball co-captain
Kaya Weiser ‘22 added, “While
I feel comfortable with Baldwin’s
players, as I have a general idea of
the behaviors of my peers and their
whereabouts, this is not necessarily true
for opposing teams. Playing against other
teams is always a risk.”
The basketball team in
particular has faced roadblocks
related to COVID; in January,
a COVID outbreak among
team members canceled
a week of practices and
games.
Despite
the challenges,
coaches and
athletic staff
applaud Baldwin
athletes for their
adaptability during
this difficult time. Snead
said, “Everyone just rolls
with all the changes, whether
it’s masks on or masks off, indoors or
outdoors. Everybody has been more than
flexible. It couldn’t be easier to work with
our student athletes.”
Similarly, Director of Athletics
Ms. Glascott-Birch said, “I am grateful
that our school community continues to
follow all protocols that we have in place.
Our students and spectators have been
supportive and understanding of the health
and safety policies.”
At the end of the day, athletes,
coaches, and administrators must accept
the tradeoffs that come with practicing and
competing amid COVID in order to have a
successful season.
Student athletes
follow Baldwin
Athletic’s COVID
protocols by
wearing a mask
when they are
resting.