Winter Sports Preview 2021

The+girls+gymnastics+team%2C+competing+at+a+meet+this+year.+Many+of+the+Winter+sports+have+faced+restrictions+or+postponement+due+to+COVID%2C+but+are+still+going+strong.

Photo by and used with permission of VIP

The girls gymnastics team, competing at a meet this year. Many of the Winter sports have faced restrictions or postponement due to COVID, but are still going strong.

Despite COVID forcing sports to adjust, boys and girls basketball, wrestling, hockey, bowling, poms, and cheer continue to go on in the midst of their seasons. Although many of the sports have been hit with limitations due to the pandemic, both student athletes and coaches are working hard to keep up with competing.

Girls Basketball:

Girls basketball was not affected too extremely by COVID, but has had to make many little changes from what they’ve done in previous years, according to Meredith Buti, sophomore.  These things include keeping 6 feet apart while not participating in drills and wearing mask at all times along with Not being allowed to interact with other teams while competing.

“Throughout games they allow time for mask breaks which is obviously new,” Buti said.  “Overall everyone has had to adjust to the new guidelines and playing with masks on but I for one am just happy to have a season.”

Boys Basketball:

The boys basketball season was shortened by frequent rescheduling due to COVID, but now that it’s in motion it faces similar restrictions to its female counterpart.  They typically adjust to whatever the restrictions are of the other schools they are competing with according to Jacob Stephen, sophomore and currently have a record of 2-2.

“It’s been going pretty well but we have to be more safe about it,” Stevens said. “For example things like our next game we aren’t allowed to have general people watching because that’s what the school that is playing us said.”

Hockey:

Although hockey activities were pushed back, it is now in session despite the cancellation of any kind of tournament or official season with practices and games against other schools.  With a record of 3-1, the players partake in all restrictions like masks, but agree to contact if participating in games says Steven Wrzesinski, sophomore.

“At ice rink practices we’ve had to do a lot of no contact but when we do make contact we put masks on and we space out,” Wrezinski said.  “We try to keep it as safe as possible during games.”

Bowling:  

The bowling team has had 4-5 competitions as of now, and is in first place in their conference.  Rather than compete in person, school teams will have their coaches record their scores for a set and send their scores to the teams that they are competing against according to Amanda Kouros, junior.

“Usually we would be with another team but because of the the virus we aren’t,” Kouros said. “We are just with ourselves and with our coaches and we’re not allowed to have any spectators.”

Poms:

Gillian Kramer, sophomore, says that the poms season has been off and on all year.  They have participated in their first formal competition of the year via submitting a video this past Monday, February 22.  They have to stay on markings on the floor that are 6 feet apart and are not allowed to do list and partner tricks that they have done in previous years.

“I definitely think that new members have a different season because there are no football games or anything,” Kramer said.  “I feel like it was hard to get to know the team at first because we didn’t practice so much but now I think things are going well.”

Cheer:

The cheer season is just about to begin participating in competitions according to Caroline Davison, junior.  The team is not allowed to practice or incorporate stunts into the routine as they have in previous years, although it comprises a large part of the sport, due to its high contact.  They mostly have been practicing tumbling instead.

“I think not being able to distance has affected the sport a little bit because we haven’t been able to build that kind of trust with each other that it usually brings in the past,” Davison said.  “We’re working as hard as we can to get back to that level but it’s a little bit difficult having started so late.”