Photo by Gaby Nirmal/The Choate News
Although Covid-19 restrictions have limited the fall athletics season, Choate has provided the opportunity for winter and spring sports to practice during designated times throughout the entire fall term.
In previous years, there were no scheduled times for winter and spring Choate teams to practice in the offseason that did not also interfere with fall practices. One direct benefit of these new practices is that coaches are able to attend and help the team improve.
According to Girls’ Varsity Crew member Ella Sklar ’22, “These practices have allowed the entire team to work hard and push each other to get better. Without these practices, head coaches would not be able to see the strength of the team prior to the season. Our coaches’ input is invaluable and definitely helps us get better.”
Another benefit of these practices is that the teams are able to build chemistry with the new players, as it is typically challenging for varsity teams to get to know each other before the season. Being able to practice and compete as an entire team, these fall sessions create bonds between the players that will carry over to the winter and spring seasons.
“Throughout my entire Choate career, I have never seen offseason teams have as much chemistry as they do this season. Usually, it takes new players a few weeks during the season to really feel welcomed and at home,”said Boys’ Varsity Baseball player Zach Vandale ’21. However, some athletes with multiple sports feel overwhelmed by the additions to their schedule and are often conflicted over which practice to attend, as winter and spring teams are assigned to the same time block. Sarah Stern ’21, a member of Girls’ Cross Country and Girls’ Varsity Basketball, said, “It can be hard not really having a day off, and going straight from fall sports practice to winter sports practice can be really tiring. Also, it’s been difficult going from working out on my own to two structured practices in a day.”
Through all of these difficulties, Choate teams have been resilient. Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse player Alex Reitman ’22 said, “I am both impressed and surprised at our athlete’s ability to remain optimistic in the face of adversity. These practices have allowed us to remain positive, and they give me something to look forward to every week. I miss playing hard for Choate; however, I know we will emerge from this pandemic stronger than before, and I can’t wait to get back on the field.”
