Mask-wearing for athletes is challenging under any circumstances, but for teams that play at a practically nonstop fast pace, it can only be even more difficult as a coronavirus-impacted season unfolds.

A lot has changed since for Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team since the Nighthawks last were on the court.

Newtown High School’s defending conference and state champion dance team will have to wait another year for competition due to coronavirus restrictions resulting in the cancelation of what the Connecticut Department of Public Health deems “high risk” sports (cheerleading and wrestling are other winter sports in the same boat).

The process of high school athletes being recruited to play in college may be involved to begin with, but it has been all the more challenging during the coronavirus pandemic due to virtual meetings as opposed to in-person communication between college coaches and athletes, as well as for athletes who missed all or a portion of their seasons due to the impact of the virus.

Newtown High School sports may be on hold once again, but some of Newtown High School’s athletes have plans for continuing their careers at the collegiate level — including five who, this past fall, signed National Letters of Intent to play Division I sports.

While many Newtown High School seniors competed for the final time this past fall season this is the start of a new beginning for some as they look to begin their journeys as collegiate student-athletes.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Board of Control, on January 14, approved a winter sports plan such that practices may begin as early as January 19. Games may start no sooner than February 8, a week later than initially proposed.

Connecticut’s high school winter sports season for most teams seems destined to get going with practices beginning January 19 and games commencing as early as February 1.