Fall is a big season for the BFA athletic teams; the fall season consists of soccer, football, cross country, golf, volleyball, and cheerleading. This fall season won’t be like any other. This time we have another opponent on the field and that is Covid-19. There have been numerous changes and requirements that must be made and followed in order to even have a sports fall season. 

The only sport that will be altered to suit the Covid-19 guidelines is football, in which case it will be turned into 7-on-7 football. Football is now more of a passing game.  According to aau.com, you have the center player snap the football to your quarterback and the quarterback must pass the ball within four seconds to make a play. 

Also, according to aau.com, due to the fact that passing the ball is how you’re supposed to play, there isn’t much running involved. This reduces the grouping of athletes. Another change includes that tackling or blocking is not allowed. Doing so will result in a penalty. If you’re tagged, you are considered out.

According to wcax.com, public sports events are limited only to a small number of 150 spectators. Traveling out of state for a game is forbidden now. Due to Covid-19, all attendees and athletes must wear masks to stay safe. Most sports will continue normally as they were in the past except the only difference is athletes must wear masks. 

According to burlingtonfreepress.com, cross country is currently the only sport where the athlete is allowed to perform without a mask. However, the runners can only go maskless while running and then immediately put it back on. Spectating or warming up requires the athletes to wear masks. Meets/races may only be held within our state. That means no out of state meets,

To understand how an athlete feels about the impact of Covid-19 on fall sports, Thomas Remillard (’21) provided some insight into what the BFA football team is experiencing and how their fall season is going. 

The virus has caused drastic changes in the fall season and how it will play out. “Football isn’t your typical 11 v 11 and instead has been dropped to a 7 v 7 tag football,” Remillard said, and you only need to be tagged by two hands to be out.

However, the fall season will go on as it normally would in any other year. Thomas Remillard has shown that he, and his team, are doing great at adapting to the various changes. 

Remillard said that physical contact is almost a no-go in the playstyle. Due to that, protection such as padding is not needed. Now, the athletes only wear a face mask under their football helmet. 

It even appears that there are some new faces on the field. Remillard said, “There were people who didn’t consider playing football normally when it was a 11 v 11, but due to the recent changes, people are interested in the new 7 v 7 football and are trying it out. It’s cool to see these new groups of people try something new.”

As a senior, Remillard wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to be on the team. He said he had, “A mixed bag of emotions.” The idea of a 7 v 7 wasn’t to his taste but, as a senior, it’s his last season on the Bobwhites team, and he wanted to make it a great last season while he can.