Severity Of Illness May Be Low, But Prospect Of More Lost Opportunity Makes Navigating The Next Few Weeks Tricky

Editor's Note: DyeStat contributor Natalie Shapiro competes in track and cross country for Dartmouth University

By Natalie Shapiro for DyeStat

For nearly two full years, COVID-19 has changed the landscape of collegiate sports and caused institutions across the country to adjust on the fly.

In the Ivy League, where I compete, athletes have been rising up to do inspiring things this winter (like five men under running under four minutes in the mile so far) while we all try to avoid the Omicron variant and risk losing yet another championship opportunity.

The Ivy League, you remember, was the quickest to close down when the pandemic started and its protocols since then have been among the most stringent.

In February 2022, COVID-19 is still a threat for athletes who are gearing up for competition. As we are currently about two weeks from the first indoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships since indoor of 2020, athletes cannot risk contracting the virus, which would prevent them from competing.

For me, the unwelcome news came as I was eating my pre-race breakfast before the first meet of the season. I got the call from our athletic trainer. I had tested positive and had to go into isolation.

I was instantly confused because, while I didn't feel great, I also didn't feel that bad. In true track and field athlete fashion, I hadn't thought twice about my symptoms and was fully prepared to race through them. The disappointment of not being able to compete in a greatly anticipated race felt all too familiar. 

I ended up being really lucky in my experience with Covid-19. I only missed that one meet early in the season and never had symptoms severe enough to hinder my training. However, as the virus spread throughout the Dartmouth track and field team, some of my teammates were not so fortunate.

Athletes who have already contracted COVID-19 this winter have experienced a range of challenges and setbacks, while those who haven’t yet are extremely cautious.

Our team captain, Maddie Nobili, said of her recent COVID experience: “I’ve never really felt like this. This has been the worst my breathing has ever felt. I feel like I am putting in effort with no return. The effort is there but the results are not matching.”

Like many other teams around the country, Dartmouth has yet to have full attendance at a meet this winter, with at least one athlete out of action due to COVID.

“It seems like everyone’s experience is really different,” Nobili said. “I know a lot of people who had COVID after me, (they) recovered and are back to full training. I sometimes can’t help thinking, ‘Whats wrong with me that I still feel this way?’”

Dartmouth freshman Emma Kerimo said she struggled to get back into her training after a bout of COVID.

“My first workouts after COVID didn’t go awesome, but I got them done," she said. "I know there's a lot of people who are feeling this same way right now. I just want more for myself this season.”

While athletes who have been looking forward to this indoor season for years are finding their performances limited by positive test results, others who have yet to contract the virus are finding it hard to avoid.

“I haven’t had COVID yet and getting it now would just be the worst thing for my season,” middle distance runner Annie Jackson said. “I have finally started to see some success and make strides towards accomplishing a lot of my goals. Having another season cut short by COVID would be really devastating. I just have to be super careful and avoid any situations that could expose me.”

This fear is a common one amongst athletes who have waited too long to compete. While standing in a crowd of women waiting to enter the Boston University track facility for the David Hemery Valentine Invitational last weekend, I overheard a conversation between two Ivy League athletes.

“I really hope no one here has Covid."

"A fast seed time doesn’t matter if you can’t make it through the season healthy.”

It seems that COVID has become a familiar disruptor for many collegiate athletes. It's one that we are all trying to run from and hoping to be rid of in upcoming seasons. Until then, as championship season approaches, all there is to do is train, exercise caution, and hope for the best.