Dylan Baxter ’21, Staff Writer

An LVC student-athlete has decided to hang up the helmet and cleats this season to focus on future endeavors.

Senior, Keegan Corwell, has decided to sit out his final football season and he’s not alone. COVID-19 has put a lot of pressure on student-athletes. Without a fall football schedule, some players were left without a path forward.

The Dutchmen are not guaranteed a spring season, but as of now, the team is still in training for one. Players are allowed to opt-out for the upcoming season to guarantee an extra year of eligibility if they want to come back for another year on the field.

“I was devastated when I realized that I couldn’t participate in my senior season,” Corwell said. “All of the work that I put into the sport just for it to get canceled was a shock to me. With the season getting canceled, it opened up a big opportunity for me this fall. I was able to secure commuter status and was able to stay at home to do all of my classes online. In addition to this, I was able to work a full-time job in my hometown, and so far, made enough money to pay my tuition for the year.”

Many students have followed the same path as Corwell by working full-time and doing online classes from home. Students are taking this opportunity to catch up on any student debt that may be lingering around.

“This is great for me and it’s a great head start for my future,” Corwell said. “I love playing football, but without a guaranteed season, I only have one thing to look forward to and to work hard for and that is graduation and my future career.”

Corwell, along with a group of Dutchmen football players, are set to graduate in May 2021. Certainly, their final sports season didn’t end as expected, but they have fond memories to reflect on.