While Delta College’s athletics department continues its efforts to keep everyone healthy at sporting events, it aims to gradually lift Covid protocols for fans.
Things aren’t very different compared to the Fall 2021 semester, but there have been some slight changes, particularly for indoor sporting events.
Last semester only two guests per participant were allowed to attend volleyball matches held in the Marcopulos Gymnasium.
This isn’t the case for basketball games in the Blanchard Gymnasium, where Delta Athletics will allow a maximum 50 percent capacity for attendance.
“The two guests per participant was only for Marcopulos Gym because of its smaller capacity. Because of the larger capacity we can hold in Blanchard Gym, we were able to waive that for basketball season,” Director of Athletics Tony Espinoza said.
Delta College has lighter restrictions compared to other colleges in the Big 8 which continue to hold stricter health protocols.
Some campuses like Modesto Junior College require fans to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test within the last 72 hours to enter any facilities.
Colleges such as Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Santa Rosa aren’t allowing spectators for any indoor events.
Masking isn’t a requirement for outdoor events, but the athletics department still strongly recommends wearing masks and social distancing.
Delta’s athletics department hasn’t thought about requiring proof of vaccination and plans to continue with current protocols in hopes of returning to pre-pandemic attendance levels.
“There hasn’t been anything discussed in regards to vaccination documentation,” said Espinoza. “I hope that we can move forward to what would resemble normal times from two seasons ago.”
The athletics department also hope to keep free admission entries for fans offered during the pandemic.
Espinoza would like for free admission to stick around as a means to invite more people from the community to support Delta’s sports teams and possibly attract more student-athletes to the college.
“We’re a community college. We want to get the community in here to support our teams, and we want to showcase what we have to offer too. We want to create interest in the community for prospective student-athletes who may currently be considering coming to Delta,” he said.