The Coronavirus Spreads to Spring Sports
Photo by Cora Kuhlenbeck
As the infamous Coronavirus continues to grow, so do the effects it has on people’s lives. One of those effects is the current cancellation of spring sports, something that many Hamilton students look forward to. With the large number of students involved in spring athletics, the cancellation has caused quite a disruption in athletes’ lives. Spring sports were meaningful to all athletes, whether it was a chance to redeem themselves after last year's loss, or a time to create new memories with their team. They played a large role in bringing Hamilton together by welcoming students, staff, and families to bond over the love of sports. Spring itself is supposed to be a time of renewal and rebirth; however, this season is proving just the opposite.
Despite the cancellation of spring season sports, many athletes are finding ways to practice their sport during the quarantine. One example of how this is being achieved is the Hamilton golf team’s attempt to hold virtual competitions. “We are doing online competitions just to keep our hopes up,” states senior golf athlete, Charlie Phillips. The golf team has been taking videos of themselves swinging golf balls at targets with varying difficulty. Whoever hits the hardest target the most is given points. The videos, along with individual standings and stats, are tracked on Twitter. Overall, this is a fun, competitive, and interactive way to engage student athletes in physical fitness outside of a sports practice atmosphere.
Other ways that students are staying active is by simply doing workouts at home and enjoying the fresh air. Junior lacrosse player, Alysia Holmes, states, “I’ve been going for hikes with my mom and dogs, going on jogs, and doing at-home workouts!” Like Holmes, many student athletes are going outside and doing basic physical fitness that will keep them healthy and in shape for next year’s season.
“It’s been hard to stay active and social distance, but there’s always something to do while keeping you and others safe!” -Alysia Holmes
Similar to the golf team, Hamilton’s baseball team has also taken advantage of technology to film their workouts. Players virtually document their at-home practices and then send it to their coach to prove that they are staying physically active during this time. Requiring videos of light practice encourages team members to engage in fitness at home, and it can promote advancement as a player. “I’m just focusing on staying active and perfecting my craft every day,” states junior baseball player, Luke Wroblewski.
While some athletes are hopeful during this time, others are not so much. For Hamilton’s basketball team, this spring was supposed to be their comeback season. Last year, after a tough fight against Brookfield Central in the sectional finals, Hamilton lost their chance to make it to State. Nevertheless, Hamilton’s basketball team is practicing hard for the road to State next year. “Having all of this time gives me an opportunity to work out multiple times a day and get ready for my last year of playing for my school,” states junior basketball player, Tanner Resch. The basketball team was having a promising season, and to see it end before the chance to make State has motivated the players to practice as hard as they can during this time. “Finding out that our season was cut short was one of the hardest things to comprehend, knowing that we could have done so much more,” adds Resch.
While everyone is upset with the cancellation of spring sports, seniors may be taking it the hardest. For them, this was their last attempt to achieve goals they had been working for since freshman year. Senior track runner, Gavin Kuhlenbeck, states, “I am upset, as I have worked the past four years to try and win a state title and this [was] my best chance at doing so.” The COVID-19 pandemic had already taken a lot from them, and taking spring sports intensified the impact. Charlie Phillips adds, “We are all disappointed with how this turned out, especially the seniors…”
During quarantine, it’s easy to become lazy and disconnect from previous everyday schedules. Following in Hamilton athlete’s footsteps, it’s important to remember to stay as active as possible. Engaging in physical fitness plays a large role in staying physically and mentally healthy, which is something that everyone could use during this trying time.
