Masking The Politics Of Youth Sports
To wear a mask or not wear a mask? Depends on who you ask
The fitness center where I work out has a self-assessment policy before entering the building. Once inside, there is a requirement to mask up in common areas. But when working out, masks can come off.
This is a fairly common rule in most private gyms. Whatever. My policy on mask-wearing is do what’s reasonable. I’m not going to deny myself exercise because the owner asks me to wear a mask for a few seconds while I walk inside. The same with restaurants. The rules don’t make sense but the benefit of eating/drinking/exercise is greater than the temporary annoyance. I can deal.
Earlier this week, there were two guys wearing masks while working out at my gym. They were probably men in their 40’s or 50’s. There were maybe a half dozen other people in the gym at the time, all spread out, socially distanced.
One of the men was wearing an N95 mask. The other covered his face with a bandana decorated in the colors of the American flag. He was going hard and fast and I didn’t want to burden him with my curiosity (‘Excuse me sir…why are you wearing a bandana covering your face while doing weighted tricep dips?’ Nah, I’ll just let him do his thing).
The guy wearing the N95 mask I did burden.
I just walked over and asked him why he was masked up while working out, which is not required in this particular gym.
He was very polite and responded by saying he just felt more comfortable wearing one.
“I know they don’t ask you to do it here but I don’t want to take any chances,” he said.
We chit-chatted for a little while about the Bears and went about finishing our workouts.
His answer to my question was a fair and reasonable one. Most important—it confirmed his personal choice. I might disagree with his logic (taking ‘chances’ with what exactly? There are less than 10 people in a facility that is several thousand square feet. You are more at risk driving home than you are of catching the virus while working out in those conditions) but his choice is not infringing on the personal freedoms of myself or others. My ability to work out is not hampered by him masking up.
We see this all the time. We see people in cars wearing masks. I saw a person masked up jogging while pushing a baby stroller. We see masked up television news reporters doing live shots on empty streets. Some of it—certainly in the case of television reporters—is cosmetic theater, or as my college professor used to say all the time, integrated marketing. They don’t want to deal with the irrational, hypercritical coronabro mobs on social media. Some of it is following public health and safety guidelines (if attending a large indoor gathering where social distancing is challenging, I think its perfectly reasonable to ask folks to mask up. If not, don’t go or stay outside).
Other rationale by individuals for mask wearing is internal, and their own sense of what makes them feel safe. How else do you explain the guy raking leaves in his front yard while wearing an N95?
While we all have our own opinions on the subject, it’s important to listen to what doctors say. There is a recent CDC study that questions the efficacy of mask-wearing. The most famous coach in college football, Nick Saban, came down with the virus after he admitted to wearing a mask pretty much everywhere he goes.
As it pertains to athletic competition and the upcoming Illinois basketball season, mask-wearing is front and center in the conversation.
In interviews with sports medicine doctors, coaches, athletes over the past few days, I’ve asked about wearing masks, their health drawbacks/benefits, with one doctor saying wearing a mask can make someone a better athlete.
(If that’s true, why doesn’t Tom Brady or Jimmy Butler wear one while playing football or basketball? Just asking)
Here are edited transcripts from those interviews.
KACEY URLACHER, SOPHOMORE GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER, FREMD HIGH SCHOOL (PALATINE, IL) AND ILLINOIS HUSTLE AAU TEAM
I’ve gone to basketball tournaments in Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin over the past month. The one in Iowa was a two-day event, Wisconsin was a one day shoot out and Indiana was the “Run For The Roses” tournament in Indianapolis in early September.
In Indiana, we had to wear masks just not during play. In Iowa, it was a two-day shoot out and everything was spaced out. The requirements all were met.
I had a medical exemption so I can’t wear a mask. Most were wearing them but some weren’t.
DR. JOEL BOYD, MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MEDICINE COMMITTEE AND TEAM PHYSICIAN FOR THE NHL MINNESOTA WILD
For exercise, wearing a mask is difficult, especially if it’s strenuous exercise. With breathing, and exchanging oxygen, there appears to be a bit of a deficit from an O2 standpoint, for people that are doing the exercise. Personally, doing vigorous exercise is not only difficult but not the best thing to do.
PHIL RALSTON, GLENBROOK SOUTH BOYS BASKETBALL COACH
We’ve had kids wearing masks all summer and fall. I would agree if the effectiveness if they are wearing them is any different than not wearing them it doesn’t serve a purpose. I don’t know if we can have them on the sidelines and swapping out (used masks for new ones) and don’t know how realistic that is.
I think if we are having these discussions it’s a good as they are trying to figure out how to make it safe. Not being considered is how many kids in our programs that have kids that play AAU, they aren’t playing by the same rules as the high schools. They’ve gone without masks and given those circumstances the thing that is not being considered if we don’t have a season, the kids will have a season. So how can they play it safely and have some oversight that is safe and that they don’t lose a season. There is a way to do it but what is the criteria?
DR. KERI DENAY, FAMILY AND SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN, TEAM PHYSICIAN FOR EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY AND U.S. FIGURE SKATING
It’s hard enough to get people to where masks correctly let alone while they are exercising, it’s definitely a challenge but it can be done. We certainly have done it here in Michigan and our high level athletes have done it it’s just a matter of good education and getting them to jump on and own that. If they are on board with you and on the same team so to speak and want to play the sport and they have to wear a mask, it can work. It is a challenge especially in sports where if you are super sweaty depending on what kind of mask you have.
Playing in a mask reduces the amount of air that you take in, that you are inhaling. That air is not one hundred percent oxygen. All the air that we breath is a combination of different things, nitrogen and so on and so forth. You are just reducing it overall. If anything, it will probably make you a better athlete, as you have to work against the mask, but initially it will be more challenging.
There are a lot adaptations that can be done to masks and silicone barriers that can go against your skin and things like that so it is what it is. We are doing the best we can. I understand the challenges but there are risks to not wearing mask, so it is a balance.
WALT MATTINGLY, SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER AT LAKE FOREST
We’ve been going for a couple of weeks now. Two times a week.
I just wear a regular blue (PPE) mask. Some of my teammates have other ones.
Honestly, it’s annoying that I have to keep covering my mouth. It effects your breathing a bit. You can bring (the mask) down sometimes but we have to keep it up. My coach will get on me when it comes down so I keep it up.
You get more tired than usual. It’s different. But it’s not that bad.
I’m just excited to play. We all just want to play. If you are playing basketball and everyone is touching the same ball I don’t feel wearing a mask will make that much difference.
Right now we are planning on having a season. We are practicing as if we are and coaches are treating it like a real season. We just hope there is a season to play.
JACK BIKUS, SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER AT MUNDELEIN
We started going this week. The seniors started Monday.
I have one of the masks that I wear around my neck. I coached a feeder baseball team this fall and the coaches gave me one and that’s what I use. It’s a little better to breathe in. It’s pretty tight and stays up there and it doesn’t fall off that much.
The biggest challenge is the endurance. You usually breathe through your mouth and nose with no restrictions. You definitely feel the difference in oxygen going in. I think it can help strengthen your lungs and get your endurance up.
We’ve been doing a lot of intra-squad scrimmages and it’s been an adjustment to learn how to preserve your energy.
The first few days in the summer were tough when we were required to wear a mask but we got used to it and we are getting used to the feel of it.
It does get damp. I have a few in my bag and I wash it every day after practice.
We had a conversation the first day of came and we we are expecting to have a season and working our butts off.
If the pay off is we get to play basketball, we’ll wear masks.
That’s the thing about the players—they will adjust. Kids just want to play, coaches want to coach.
Wednesday, Gov. Pritzker gave a press conference. He was asked about youth sports.
He said:
Obviously, COVID has interfered with so many things that are normal in our lives. And so, I am obviously concerned to try and bring back or to expand the ability for people to participate in the things that they normally do. That’s why even as they’re looking at high school sports for the winter, I know that they’re contemplating how best to bring things back and make sure that more sports, rather than less, can be allowed. But that is a medical decision, just to be clear. It is no, should not be, a political decision. It should be a decision made by people who understand better than any politician how this virus spreads and how it can be spread among young people. I was on a call yesterday with a number of governors from around the country, both parties, and to the person, they have experienced outbreaks in high school sports, or that had been caused by high school sports. And that’s something that they’re all looking at how to deal with when they’ve already allowed it. It’s a concern, obviously for all of us to make sure that not only our kids are safe but all of their families, teachers, are kept safe.
More of the same fear-based, anecdote-driven posturing from Pritzker. When he talks about decisions about youth sports being medical ones, not political ones, he’s lying. And he has advisors such as Dr. Ezike to provide medical cover for his non-transparent political motivations.
Dr. Ezike actually went to the podium and said people should wear masks at home. It’s careless for a public health official in a position as high as she to say such a silly thing.
It’s like one state senator said about the Governor and the IDPH: “These are bureaucrats making bearucratic decisions.”
It might be wishful thinking but I remain optimistic there will be a basketball season. I don’t know what form it will take, but I believe there will be a season of some kind.
The only reason I say this now is because if Pritzker outright cancels winter sports, especially basketball, you’ll see a vicious blowback and it will become too politically untenable for him. It will have nothing to do with medicine or science or data or the well-being of kids.
It’s politics. Period.