There won’t be any practices or team meetings on Election Day, as CWU has joined other GNAC schools to cancel athletic activities on Nov. 3.

The decision to do this was in order to “promote civic engagement,” according to Wildcatsports.com.

Additionally, GNAC encourages all student athletes to get educated on polling locations or the absentee voting process if they are attending school out of state, before Nov. 3.

“Both within our program and our athletic department as a whole, we’ve pushed to educate our athletes about voting and voter registration,” football head coach Chris Fisk said.

According to Fisk, the football team has provided the links to all of the states’ voter registration websites as well as information for absentee balloting. 

The football staff has made themselves available to help students better understand the voting process.

“We do strive for 100% voter registration,” Fisk said.

For Fisk personally, he believes that voting is very important. 

He believes that it’s part of his duty as an American to vote. 

Additionally, Fisk sent some praise towards the athletic department.

“Our athletic director, Dennis Francois, has done a really nice job of creating resources within the athletic department website for our kids to go to,” Fisk said.

Senior softball pitcher Lexie Strasser and head softball coach Alison Mitchell shared the same praise.

Strasser said their athletic department has done a good job, and Mitchell agreed.

“Our athletic department has done a phenomenal job of actually condensing [information] into one space where anyone can go and check out different websites from both sides and educate themselves,” Mitchell said.

Strasser, as well as the whole softball team, thinks voting is necessary. 

“My team has been very adamant about telling people to vote,” Strasser said.

The importance of voting has been the subject of conversation on multiple occasions at practices and team meetings, according to Strasser. 

They’ve had speakers talk about voting and other informational things regarding the voting process.

Voting is “incredibly important” to Mitchell.

“Ever since I was the age of 18 and got the right to vote, I have voted in every election since then,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell pointed to a fascination in U.S. history and the U.S. government for why she is passionate about voting. 

Mitchell also said the work that’s been done this year in terms of voter awareness has been a good starting point for the future.

“I would love to see everyone get out and vote,” Mitchell said. “ Let your voice be heard.”