Sycamore High School sophomore Ria Parekh gathered in a socially distanced circle Saturday morning with her tennis teammates.

After the coaches introduced themselves to the team on the first official day of tryouts, they asked the group a few questions. Had anyone tested positive for the coronavirus? Had anyone been in contact with someone who had tested positive or experienced symptoms.

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After that, Parekh said she was just excited to be back on the court.

“After a while, this all will feel relatively normal,” Parekh said. “But I can’t help but think about how much has changed.”

Starting Aug. 1, fall sports practices began as a result of the OHSAA’s updated guidelines following the coronavirus pandemic. Different rules apply to contact sports and non-contact sports, but teams are taking significant precautions.

Parekh said tennis bags are spaced 6 feet apart on the court and all players wear masks when they are not playing.

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At Seven Hills High School, the women’s soccer team has also emphasized players staying apart from each other when they’re not on the field.

Senior Shriya Kilaru said she had to adjust to new protocols when practice started, but playing soccer with her teammates was worth the wait.

“I’m super excited about this just because it’s been so long,” Kilaru said. “We’re usually playing early in the summer, and it’s been a change starting off later. We were all pretty anxious that we weren’t going to get to play, so we’re excited to be back out there with each other.”

Even though many players are enthusiastic to return to practice, there are varying opinions about whether fall sports competitions should be taking place. 

Ria’s father, Shital Parekh, is a sports physician, and he’s concerned about high school athletes returning to practice. He said he would be even more concerned about his daughter if she were playing a contact sport.

“We can’t just make blanket statements that sports are back or sports are not,” Parekh said. “We need to look at how much contact there is and how limited it can be. I still hope the coaches and the trainers are taking proper precautions and educating the athletes. The concern for sports is not whether the athletes are going to get it or not, but the potential of spreading it in their communities.”

The OHSAA Executive Director’s Office has cooperated with the governor’s office and Ohio Department of Health to develop the state’s plan for sports to return.

In a statement, Dan Leffingwell, president of the OHSAA Board of Directors and superintendent of the Noble Local Schools, said he hopes to create a safe environment for athletes to resume playing competitive sports. 

“It is important to keep athletic activity moving forward,” Leffingwell said. “And with that, we believe our member schools provide our student-athletes with the safest possible environment to return to play and that our school programs are the best avenue to help students learn lifelong lessons and provide social, emotional and physical benefits that other programs cannot.”

Non-contact sports such as golf, tennis and volleyball can currently play scrimmages, and practices are ramping up for many local high school teams. 

Katie Sumerel, a senior who plays volleyball at Summit Country Day School, said she’s heard many local high school teams, in addition to her own, are taking proper precautions to ensure they will be able to have a season.

“We’re going to do whatever we’re told, obviously, and we would understand if our season got canceled,” Sumerel said. “We would not be happy, but I would understand. If we want a season, it’s up to all of us. We have to stay in as much as possible, be careful and wear a mask.”