In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MASKetball has become the new norm in club and high school basketball. It is a consequence of variance mandates issued down by individual state and county health protocols. While wearing a mask during basketball practices and/or games is one obvious change for coaches and athletes alike, interscholastic sports have suffered greatly under the weight of the pandemic.
As American families grapple with the various challenges posed by the pandemic, those who are faced with resulting financial strain must make difficult choices regarding their child’s participation in high school and club sports. Budget cuts across schools in the nation have forced high school athletic departments to hit the pause button on providing basic programming and essential resources (staff salaries, equipment, etc.), while countless club programs are cutting back on operations, such as, travel, participation numbers, or even dismantling programs, due to families not being able to afford that extra cost required of club sports. Arguably, however, wealthy families are keeping their children engaged in club sports (pending variance allowances), but those who allow their child to play club, but are less financially able, are having to pull their child from clubs until normalcy and financial stability returns. As a result, the affluency gap evident within club sports is widening further.
As sport organizations within high school and club sports choose to play or not to play, the mental health impacts are widely evident. When individual states and counties decide to lockdown, schools and organizations are not able to provide sport programming, which for so many children, serve as a safeguard and escape to domestic challenges, motivation to remain academically engaged, and focused on passions they hold dear, among others. The mental health consequences that have surfaced from COVID-19 is very real and does not shy away from any cross section of individuals. Being kept home, away from friends, teammates, coaches, etc. and the lacking social interactions that are inherent in these critical relationships is wreaking havoc on athletes and their communities and across the nation, calls for “Let Them Play,” are ramping up.
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Club Sports vs High School Sports 
Of all the sports platforms I have thought about during the past year as it pertains to COVID-19, high school athletics and student athletes have been at the forefront. This is such an important time for young athletes to develop their passions and really commit to their goals and aspirations. COVID-19 added a difficult challenge for many, especially those who can’t necessarily afford club sport costs.
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The reality for high school athletes during the early stages of the pandemic was the termination of their involvement with sports. Schools shut down which inevitably leads to sports shutting down. Depending on the sport and local community guidelines seniors either had no season or a very unorthodox one. Unfortunately, activities that once provided a safe and productive atmosphere have become different. Moving forward, masks and social distancing seem like the new normal.
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To us who are out of high school, we use and watching sports as our little slice of ‘normalcy’ amidst the pandemic. The ones who are most affected by it are the ones like you stated, the athletes who used sports as their safeguard or escape from real-life issues. I hope that the pandemic does not create an insurmountable athletic and economic gap for a generation, as it is not their fault that the pandemic caused so much uncertainty.
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As a high school coach, the last thing I want to do is endanger any of my athletes, so I’m truly okay with leaving the decision of whether or not to play to the folks above my pay grade. However, it’s certainly wreaked havoc on college recruiting and the resulting scholarships. More importantly, the damage to countless athletes’ mental health, just from losing access to their peer group has been staggering.
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