COVID-19 has made a big impact on all athletics, in particular, both Middle School and Upper School soccer players. It wasn’t easy this fall to adapt to the new way of playing.
This year has been very difficult to try to focus on soccer while wearing the mask and staying six feet apart. “When in doubt give it your all,” eighth-grader Hadley Crowther said. “With covid it was really a doubt, so the only thing you could do was work hard.”
Eighth-grader Abby Congdon had similar thoughts. “I agree, I think it was so hard to focus on soccer when there were so many other little things in the way of it.”
This not only affected the players but also affected the coaches; throughout the season it wasn’t easy for anyone to adapt to a new way of playing and practicing.
Although it wasn’t easy for the players or the coaches, they were able to find a way to adapt to the change and make the best of it.
“A positive this year was that I was able to keep everyone and didn’t have to face the difficulties of telling someone that they were cut,” Girls Varsity Soccer Coach Krista Sahrbeck said. “I liked having the value to give everyone a chance to be a part of the program.”
Overall, the eighth-graders felt that it was definitely challenging, not just because of COVID-19, but also being on a higher level team with new players that they’ve never met before.
Eighth-grader Abby Congdon said, “It was harder to meet new people with COVID, but it was nice to be with new faces after being in school with the same people everyday.” Abby also reflected on the positives. “However, a positive was it was like a restart button with nobody knowing who you were and starting fresh.”
This year has been very difficult but being able to adapt to a new way of playing is a big achievement. Going into next fall, players and coaches both are hoping the circumstances are better and that it can feel more like a normal season.
