CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Four student-athletes in Northeast Ohio have tested positive for COVID-19, including one football player in Strongsville and three varsity volleyball players in Mayfield.

In Strongsville, athletes who were in contact with that player, who had exhibited some symptoms, have been quarantined, although Bill Wingler, principal of Strongsville High School, said they are all asymptomatic. He said he did not believe the player who tested positive contracted COVID-19 in a practice setting.

The opening football game was postponed, and practices for the football team were suspended until Friday, August 28.

In the Mayfield City Schools district, three varsity volleyball players tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. Volleyball play and practice are suspended for the freshmen, JV, and varsity teams until further notice.

With two daughters of his own, whom Wingler said he and his wife have decided to let participate in Strongsville high school sports this year, Wingler said nothing is more important than the safety of students.

"The problem is you can't delay with this virus, because these kids aren't walking around feeling sick. And that's the very dangerous part," Wingler said. "How quick we react determines how much this is going to affect us."

Wingler said the goal is to have protocols that protect kids so they can have a season. He added that Strongsville follows protocols in accordance with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

"It's gonna be a bumpy road. There's just no way around it," Wingler said. "This is not like any year any of us have ever seen."

Melissa Cyphert, a parent who said her godson plays football at Mayfield, said she thinks students should still be able to play and that there are adequate precautions in place.

"They’re taking temperatures before the games and before every practice," Cyphert said. "They’re wearing their face masks."

Kelly and Leroy Daugherty III, who have a son on Mayfield's football team, said they believe their son is in good hands and they are impressed with the team and the school for how they are handling the protocols.

Their son, Steven, is a cornerback and running back and is a junior this fall.

"They've really done a great job as far as keeping us involved and abreast of everything that's going on with their parameters and what they're going to do as far as letting our kids play sports," Leroy Daugherty III said. "So I definitely commend them on that."

Steven's mother, Kelly, said that as a mother, she was "terrified. I don't want him to catch it. But for him at this stage of the game, it's important for him, so we wanted to respect that."

The couple said they're both glad to see how seriously coaches, trainers, and players are taking the precautions, noting that the players were socially distanced, "and we could hear the trainers and hear the coaches saying, 'Hey, don't forget, six feet apart.' They have to wear their mask [...] I mean, they really stay on top of them."

Leroy said he was hopeful other schools were handling this the right way, too.

"If they're out there playing, I'm hoping that they're following the directions, following the rules," he said.

Principal Wingler in Strongsville said each family has to make its own choices during this time.

"A parent should make that decision for their child on whether they should or should not participate, and we respect and support that," Wingler said.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Rebound Northeast Ohio News 5's initiative to help people through the financial impact of the coronavirus by offering one place to go for information on everything available to help and how to access it. We're providing resources on:

Getting Back to Work - Learn about the latest job openings, how to file for benefits and succeed in the job market.

Making Ends Meet - Find help on topics from rent to food to new belt-tightening techniques.

Managing the Stress - Feeling isolated or frustrated? Learn ways to connect with people virtually, get counseling or manage your stress.

Doing What's Right - Keep track of the way people are spending your tax dollars and treating your community.

We're Open! Northeast Ohio is place created by News 5 to open us up to new ways of thinking, new ways of gathering and new ways of supporting each other.

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Ohio, a timeline of Governor Mike DeWine's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Northeast Ohio, and link to more information from the Ohio Department of Health, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the CDC and the WHO.

See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.

The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health are now recommending the use of cloth face coverings in public to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Read more about the CDC's recommendation here. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a face maskfrom common household materials, without having to know how to sew.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.