Beginning November 2020, the Department of Health made it mandatory for athletes to wear a mask while playing sports if unable to maintain a safe distance of 6-feet while playing. Their requirement states “Everyone who participates in sport activities including coaches, athletes (including cheerleaders), and spectators must wear a face covering, such as a mask.” While this is to ensure the safety of the athletes, it is causing controversy around the world. 

In a study done at the University of Maryland Medical Center, researchers found that “wearing a mask while exercising can impede [the athletes] overall performance.” The performance of athletes is being negatively affected by enforcing masks to be worn. As an athlete, I have seen many teams fighting to not wear masks during games. Reagan Ertel, senior at North Penn High School, claims that “wearing a mask makes it harder to breathe when I run.” Ertel plays soccer at PA Dominion, where she has played for the past three years. Ertel claims that her team was not forced to wear masks in the fall season, and she does not see why they should be forced to wear them now. COVID-19 vaccines and rapid testing availability has increased dramatically since the fall, so why are masks required in sports now more than in the fall?

Lauren Luciani, a senior at Pope John Paul High School, is a teammate of Ertel. She agrees with Ertel that “wearing masks makes it extremely hard to breathe while running.” Luciani suggests that The Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Sports Association (EPYSA) requires players to be vaccinated to not wear a mask while playing, an idea that could please both sides of the argument. 

While playing with a mask on may slow the spread of the virus, there are worries that it may cause other health problems. Players that have asthma and other immune disorders are at a disadvantage. Masks should not be required while playing sports, as they can cause long-term problems that may cause bigger issues than the virus itself.