Among the many changes to school life due to the Coronavirus, the effect on the fall sports season has been significant. AHC has several fall sports that students can play, including soccer, volleyball, cross country, field hockey, and equestrian. The Holy Cross Athletics Department has worked hard to make changes to each sport so that each team has the ability to practice safely. 

Athletes and coaches have precautions that they take, like wearing masks all throughout practice and keeping at least six feet of distance between them. These modifications have an impact on the athletes during the practice.

“We have to wear masks when we play which makes it harder to breathe so, because of this there are more breaks and we play for a shorter amount of time,” sophomore soccer team member Kelsey Lawson expressed. “Also, when we are on the sidelines we have to socially distance which makes it harder to socialize.” 

Athletes across all sports are content with the way AHC has handled this difficult situation. Volleyball player, sophomore Nora Torp, feels that her season has been fulfilling despite the conditions they are playing under. She says that most of the other players agree with her.

“The coaches and everyone have made this season as fun as they could, considering we couldn’t have our real season,” Torp said. 

Holy Cross has allowed all teams and all athletes to play to their full potential during the modified season. The fall sports teams participants had a fun season. 

“I have found my soccer season this year to be enjoyable because it’s nice to be able to exercise and train as a team. It’s a way to get out of the house and even just be with people,” Lawson added. “By having the pinpoint form and easy check in before soccer, AHC has made this season go smoothly and efficiently.” 

Continuing into the future, past the fall sports season, Dena Rapoport, the Director of Athletics, has high hopes that the winter sport season will happen. Many winter sports are indoors, unlike fall sports, which means precautions and modifications for winter sports will be different. 

“For sports like swimming, I’ve been in contact with Georgetown Prep and Stone Ridge but we are still working it out,” Rapoport emphasized. “And there are different rules for a swimming pool compared to an ice rink, these are all things we need to figure out.”

The current reschedule plan for the sport seasons is for the winter sports to run during January and February; followed by the fall sports in March and April. Spring sports will be played in May and June.