The Crossroads League announced to their student athletes on July 26 their intentions to play a regular season in the fall. Two days later, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), moved their fall championships to the spring.
As a result, Goshen College provided their student athletes with the option to opt out of the upcoming 2020 fall sports season.
Shortly after this announcement, two Goshen College women’s soccer players made the decision to sit out this season. Savannah Roth-Walter and Olivia Krall were set to join the team for the first time in their college career, but later decided to opt out after growing concerns surrounding the coronavirus.
As colleges and professional sports leagues announced their attempt to hold a season, the commissioners allowed their players the option to opt out. Most players who decide to opt out are at a high risk of contracting the virus or they have high risk members in their families.
In the two cases of Roth-Walter and Krall, they shared similar reasons for making the decision to opt out.
Roth-Walter and Krall will still be presented the opportunity to play next season. With their love for soccer, once the pandemic subsides, these two athletes will be back on the pitch soon.
