How College-Bound Spring Athletes are Handling COVID-19
By Chris Urban
The COVID-19 outbreak has affected nearly all aspects of normal life around the globe, including high school and college academic and sports schedules. The current postponement of school and spring sports is a harsh reality for many senior Rye High School student-athletes who were looking forward to their last high school season. Having already won four Section 1 titles as a school this year, it is unfortunate to consider that the potential for more is up in the air along with the overall enjoyment that spring sports bring to all students.
Across the country, methods such as social distancing and quarantines have been mandated or recommended to help prevent the spread of the virus. Although these practices are necessary and beneficial, it has had an especially adverse impact on sports everywhere.
It is unknown when spring sports would even resume considering the difficulty of getting kids together to train or practice. Emmet Carroll who has committed to play lacrosse at University of Pennsylvania said, “It’s definitely a tough situation and there’s a lot of uncertainty as to if our season will be played or not. It’s out of our control at this point. I’ve been doing a lot of home workouts that I find online, running to stay in shape, and doing goalie specific lacrosse drills to keep a stick in my hand. I’m very excited to get to Penn in August.”
University of Richmond committed player Leah Kenny, who missed part of her junior season as a member of the Girls’ Lacrosse team due to serious injury, reflected that, although “it’s really upsetting that our season could potentially be cancelled, especially for the seniors, we are all trying to stay positive. Our coaches have been sending us daily workouts and drills to do at home so that we will be prepared if the season reconvenes. For the summer my coach sends each player a workout packet, so I will follow that to stay in shape and prepare for the run tests.”
Future Fordham University baseball player Declan Lavelle had a tremendous fall and winter season as a senior, winning two Section 1 titles as quarterback and center for the Garnets’ Football and Hockey teams. Lavelle said the Baseball team “is definitely keeping an optimistic mindset about the baseball season happening. Whether it’s fielding, hitting, or throwing, we are working every day to prepare for games on our diamond.”
Another Rye Girls’ Lacrosse standout and Colgate University committed player Amelia Cunningham lamented, “Like many of my teammates, I’ve dreamt about our senior season. This was our year to take Section 1 by storm and I was looking forward to one last ride with the girls. Our senior class has been playing together since our Rye Youth Lacrosse days and it has facilitated a special bond that’s very evident on and off the field. I’m really bummed out about our season being postponed. Despite this, I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to play Division 1 lacrosse at Colgate University next year. In preparation for that, I’ve been running and lifting with my brother almost daily to stay in shape and get stronger for the next level and hopefully the tail end of our season.”
Rye’s athletes and those at other schools across the country are primarily focused on the overwhelming challenges the pandemic has created for them, their families, their communities, and the country. Still, they hope they can return to action relatively soon, even if it entails a shortened spring sports season.
