Anxious athletes are scrambling to find places to train following Governor Lamont’s announcement that all club and other team sports must pause all activities until Jan. 19. With high school practices canceled, as well as outside leagues, many student-athletes are being challenged to pursue new ways to continue their exercise.
Lamont postponed winter sports as COVID-19 cases have continued to rise in Connecticut.
“We’ve just seen too many infections in and around those winter sports,” Lamont said, according to the Hartford Courant.
Now, many athletes are feeling the effects of this decision.
Jessica Qi ’22, member of the girls’ swim and dive team, usually practices six days a week, sometimes twice a day. After high school swim season ends in mid-November, Qi swims competitively year-round on the Water Rat Swim Team, the Westport Weston YMCA club team. With the recent cancellation of practice, Qi has resorted to training on her own.
“I have been signing up for lane time at a local pool and making up my own sets,” Qi said. “It’s not as good as a normal two-hour practice, but it’s better than nothing and allows me to swim every day.”
Qi has also participated in training sessions over Zoom run by the Staples girls’ swim team coaches. They usually do arm, back and abdominal workouts designed specifically to benefit swimmers.
“It is a really great way to connect with the team while getting a good workout,” Qi said. “If this situation continues, I hope that we continue to do this.”
In addition, Eva Simonte ’23, member of the Staples girls’ cross country, indoor track and outdoor track team, has continued to run by herself and train during this time. She is thankful that she can practice her sport independently.
“I have mostly been running and working out on my own,” Simonte said. “It’s definitely hard to stay motivated when you’re not running with a team, but I’m trying as hard as I can.”
Athletes that need certain equipment to practice are especially feeling the consequences of the season being postponed. Romy Nusbaum ’22, a member of the squash team, is one of them.
“You need a squash court to play squash, so it’s hard to train now that I don’t have access to one,” Nusbaum said. “I have been running and doing other conditioning, but it’s not the same as practicing the sport.”