COVID-19 risk high amongst basketball and football players
Given what’s known about the coronavirus, indoor basketball poses a high risk of infection transmission. Panther Archives
The year 2020 has been one of mystery; the world of sports is no exception. However, as months have passed and professional seasons have begun, doctors, players and coaches have learned more about the health risk COVID-19 poses to different sports. That information might help offer some clues to Chapman teams about how to proceed with upcoming practices.
As of now, the four major sports in the U.S. – football, basketball, baseball and hockey – have all returned to play. Both the NBA and NHL have had more success in containing the spread of the virus in comparison to the NFL and MLB. Yet despite its professional success, Chapman Director of Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Pam Gibbons believes basketball may be the highest-risk sport to play during the pandemic.
“Basketball is one of the scary ones because it is indoors and there’s a lot of close contact,” Gibbons said. “You’re body-to-body, face-to-face, and it’s not like you’re wearing a mask.”
The NBA and WNBA reported zero cases throughout the duration of their resumed seasons, yet that success in safety was primarily due to a comprehensive plan to keep players within contained bubbles. Chapman basketball teams, meanwhile, will not get this luxury.
According to head coach Mike Bokosky, the men’s basketball team is set to play an eight-game season beginning in 2021. Bokosky, however, does not appear particularly fazed by the threat of the virus.
“I’m not afraid of it,” Bokosky said. “The mask-wearing and not going to different gatherings has cramped my lifestyle and I don’t like it. But I’m not going to transfer my opinion to someone who may be scared of it.”
At the moment, transmission risk is lower for the team, as they’re practicing outdoors on Wilson Field until they’re cleared to return to the gym. However, Gibbons said even the football team that regularly plays outside under normal circumstances is also at risk.
“Within six feet for 15 minutes or more is prime transmission,” Gibbons said. “When you look at linemen, they’re face-to-face with the same people all the time, over and over throughout the entire game.”
Football players are excited to be back, with the resumption of conditioning workouts contained to groups of no more than ten athletes. However, junior offensive lineman Alex Waddell said the football team has expressed concern about an outbreak, because some teammates came in contact with an infected individual about two weeks ago.
“There was some exposure to some of the football guys,” he said. “Everyone ended up testing negative, luckily; some of my roommates were part of that group as well.”
Waddell emphasized the importance for the team to come back slowly and be cautious with their return. As competition ramps up in the spring semester with a five-game slate, Waddell would like to see a few different precautions taken before he hits the field for the Panthers.
“As long as everyone has tested negative and everyone has the same protocols, I don’t think it should be too bad,” he said. “I’m excited to get back out there.”