In a normal high school sports season, college recruiters would come to games to watch and examine players. This gives the students more opportunities and chances to be signed to a higher division sports team. However, all sports at Severna Park High School have either been cancelled or postponed until next year. This leaves juniors and seniors feeling anxious because they do not get to practice or progress their athletic abilities.

“My season is postponed until February,” junior Emily Screws said. “It has made it more difficult because matches aren’t happening and we don’t know if states will happen either.”

It has become more difficult for student athletes to get in touch with college recruiters, too. In recent years students would post their scores online for coaches for them to see, but this is not possible this year.  

“Covid-19 has made it more difficult to reach out to more college coaches and show them what I am able to do without having the film to show what I’m capable of,” junior James Henson said.

In addition, certain sports have scouts that watch and recruit during the summer, which gives those sports more time and opportunities than winter sports. This means that other sports played in the fall or winter will have an even harder time getting the college recruiters’ attention.

“Some college golf and soccer coaches do their recruiting during the summer or watch an athlete’s club team for that sport when it is out of season for college coaches,” golf coach Buck said. “It is harder for sports like baseball and football, where coaches are sent to watch the kids play their high school games.”

For most athletes getting recruited for a Division 1 college team is a dream, but Covid-19 has made this even tougher. Overall, Division 1 scouting is very stressful for athletes because some students go to college just to continue their game, but others count on having a sport scholarship to be able to financially support their academics.

“I am feeling a little more stressed now that they have pushed everything back and things have been delayed,” Henson said. “My dream college to play football at would most definitely have to be Texas Southern University or Florida A&M.”

“I played baseball all four years at Towson State University,” Coach Buck said.

Coach Buck enjoyed playing sports in college and hopes student athletes wishing to further their career can have the same experience he did.