Due to COVID-19, spectators should not anticipate being allowed to attend high school sports events in order to ensure the safety of both the players and fans. FCPS is still deciding whether spectators will be allowed to attend games. Practices are shorter in length, during which athletes must wear masks, social distance and stay outside. 

“All we’ve been doing right now is conditioning and ball-handling. It’s been very limited,” senior and varsity basketball player Skylar Bibbee said. “By now, we would have been at the gym for months, so everything is going to be very sped up. We only have a week to prepare and there is no time to waste given the situation.”

Athletes are not allowed to participate with colds or minor injuries, which can increase the rate of COVID-19 transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), objects can not be shared among players and all equipment needs to be sanitized before and after practice.

“There’s more caution especially when it comes to health,” junior soccer and field hockey player Katie Craddock said. “Now, if you feel a little sick, you stay home. If you’re bleeding, you have to cover it up and get off the field because of the COVID-19 risk.” 

Virginia High School League (VHSL) has released guidelines on how the season will be conducted. Certain activities are not allowed, such as pyramids in cheerleading. Winter sports teams will begin in December. Fall sports will have its first practice on Feb. 4 and the first game is on March 1. Lastly, the spring season’s first practice will be on April 12, and the first game will be April 26. 

“I think it’s going to be harder because it’s something we’ve never experienced,” Bibbee said. “[Since] VHSL is cutting down on games and the number of teams that can go to the district tournament, we will have to win more games.” 

According to FCPS, the first game of the winter season will be on Dec. 21. Starting off the season Chantilly varsity boys basketball will play at McLean High School. Chantilly girls varsity gymnastics will be at Westfield High School on Jan. 4. The dates for other winter sports games are still being determined. 

“There used to be a lot of hype for games since you have friends who watch you play, you’re under the lights,“ Craddock said. “Without that, it’s gonna be a lot more of a statistical game with no fans.”