The Current World of Athletics

When we ushered in 2022, the hope was athletics would find normalcy for student-athletes and coaches. However, the omicron variant had other plans for us all. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world of athletics and has put a spin on how we schedule games, prepare for practices, and compete against our opponents.

None of us had a playbook on how to navigate these rapidly changing situations. There is no cookie-cutter solution. Every school and situation has been different; we have to collect schools’ COVID-19 protocols and adapt to each in order to play the game. In addition, we have had to be proactive in our thinking and planning. At a moment’s notice a bus may not be available and coaches have been asked to transport players to games. An official is unavailable and we have called upon coaches from other Dana Hall teams and or a well-versed faculty member to officiate a game. Coaches have been flexible and have adapted to last-minute changes in their line-up. Players have been nimble as they play other positions on the court, change in position on the ladder, or swim in an event that they normally may not swim.

The continually changing landscape has no doubt brought on uncertainty, anxiety and disappointment. However, I am very thankful and impressed that our coaches have continued to adjust to this ever-changing environment and put their players in a position to feel comfortable and appreciated within their team. As I watch our student-athletes compete this winter, I can only feel pride! They have endured what has been thrown at them, and they have come out on top. So many of our teams have already racked up success and came out victorious during their respective competitions. There are two quotes that are so often used in sports: “sports build character" and "sports reveal character." There is no doubt in my mind that both of these statements are true this year. In the athletic world, coaches and players are continually adjusting to adversity, becoming more resilient in their everyday thinking, and adapting to change. As we enter the middle of the winter season, I can only hope that the best is yet to come.