What impact does the sports hiatus have on athletes` mental, emotional well-being?

....."I`m really bummed out about it, and it sort of gives me anxiety," North Rockland rising senior wrestler Sean Garofal-Heavner said of the pause. "I`ll just go through my day, then I`ll be on my phone, and I`ll see a notification pop up from NYSPHSAA or lohud, or something on the news, and it just gives me more reason to worry about us not being able to have sports. 

"It almost builds anxiety, having the feeling that I`ll have nothing, like I`m not going to be able to have any sports or stuff that I`m really good at and really look forward to. It`s getting taken away and you have no control."

.....Hastings feels that the pause in sports have allowed people to realize their importance. Victory feels good, and there are lessons to learn in defeat, but it`s the little moments that athletes are missing out on.

"We tend to take (sports) for granted, how beneficial that it can be for the mental welfare," he said. "Just being in the locker room with your teammates, that might not sound so important, but just being there with your teammates, fooling around, teasing each other, being together, that kind of camaraderie is really beneficial. Maybe we take it for granted, especially now that we don`t have it."......

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Bethany`s Notes: Another great article about HS sports and how essential they are to the development of students...it may not be the wins and losses but just being around people with the same goals in mind that is beneficial to our mental mindset. With that taken away how are students coping?