COVID-19 cut college athletes’ seasons short or cut them out altogether. The NCAA granted athletes an extra year of eligibility for competition. The option of opting in or opting out was left to the athletes themselves to decide.

Senior Scrum-half Spencer Boldt of the women’s rugby team was notified that the rest of their 2020 season was canceled after a practice was canceled during the week.  

“For us it was really unexpected because we were sitting there prepping for a game coming up that weekend,” Boldt said. “We had no idea this was even a possibility of getting shut down.” 

Boldt and the rugby team are using this time with no practice or games to build the culture of the team. Without being on the field the players have had to adapt and tweak their learning styles to overcome this pandemic.  

“I think it has been really beneficial for our program and it has put us in the right direction toward cultivating a successful program,” Boldt said.

The football team never got a chance to take the field to start their 2020-2021 season. 

Senior Middle linebacker Donte’ Hamilton said, “We are not rushing things. We are taking time to understand the playbook and to get our bodies right.” 

Hamilton said the team is prepared for the worst but is expecting the best.

Doing the best with what players are provided and allowed to do is the best way to get through these challenging and confusing times. 

Hamilton and Boldt’s respective sports are their passion and a commitment they have chosen to stick with for another year, even if that means spending more time as a student. 

Hamilton said everyone on the team is on it because they love football, but they have their own specific reasons for being there. When given the option to stay and compete another year, with the uncertainty of jobs being available due to COVID-19, Hamilton decided financially it would be in his best interest to opt in for another year. 

After being hurt in part of the 2019-2020 season, Hamilton has had over a year to recover and after opting in for the next season, we can expect him and the football team to be ready for the fall.

Boldt said it took her a while to come to terms with the decision to opt-in. 

“I didn’t know that my last practice was my last practice, or my last game was my last game and that meant my college career was over,” Boldt said. “I wasn’t okay with that.” 

Not knowingly, Boldt thought she walked off the field for the last time in a CWU jersey. 

“I reached out to a lot of different people and had a lot of different conversations to get their perspective,” Boldt said. “I kept on getting the green light.” 

 Boldt being an international student, she had to think a little bit more into opting in because she had to get her visa extended and had to worry about continuing her education. 

Athletes who opt-in for an extra year of eligibility now have the time to take extra classes they are interested in. They can continue their passion for their sport all while expanding their education.