Graphic by Mia Katz/The Choate News
Reopening the School in the midst of a pandemic has brought about major changes in every aspect of life at Choate, and sports are no exception.
Like other daily campus activities, sports must now meet measures set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Connecticut state guidelines, as well as Choate’s own health guidelines, to ensure the safety of its student-athletes.
Despite the cancelation of interscholastic play and several intramural sports, students are still responsible for fulfilling their normal athletic requirements. The Athletics Department, as a result, offered new options for intramural sports during the fall term.
Some of the intramural sports previously held during fall term, like self-defense, jiu-jitsu, and kayaking, are not being offered, as they cannot uphold social distancing protocols. As a result, the School plans on providing new intramural sports for the student body, including ping-pong, pickle-ball, and Frisbee golf; the Athletic Department is also offering fall A.M. Yoga, which has previously only been available winter and spring terms.
Many of the new offerings are a welcome addition to the repertoire of sports students can choose from, although it is unclear how many people will participate in these activities. “Ping-pong was always a great way to spend time in the SAC during my first fall term at Choate. It definitely made me interested in the intramural offering,” said Finn McGaan ’22.
In the past, many attendees have enjoyed A.M. Yoga, which is newly available in the fall. Ava Maha ’23, said, “A.M. Yoga was a great way to kickstart a relaxing and productive day. Ms. Sue Schade was a kind and helpful instructor, who widened my knowledge and appreciation for yoga.”
The Athletics Department has also developed a plan to help reduce the number of students that are participating in each activity at once. Athletics Director Mr. Roney Eford said, “We will have intramural offerings throughout the day to give students options and to de-densify the afternoon athletic time slot.”
The School has also allotted time for Winter and Spring season teams to practice during the fall term. These practices will take place on Monday and Wednesday each week.
Although many students may be disappointed that they will not be able to compete against other schools, new athletic offerings aim to keep students active on campus and help broaden their horizons.
