Aleena Nasruddin, News Editor
@aleenacourant
Just a month ago, Governor Ned Lamont closed all schools in Connecticut due to COVID-19. With the closure of school and fields, coaches have begun using virtual platforms to aid their team and some athletes are having to adjust their workouts to be done at home.
Boys’ Baseball Head Coach Anthony Bloss has made a conditioning and throwing program for his team, shared drills found on social media with his players, and has hosted weekly meetings on Zoom. “Many of our players worked really hard in preseason to prepare for the season, and it is quite clear that many of them are continuing to prepare in the event that we are able to practice and play,” Mr. Bloss said.
Mr. Bloss has asked his players to share their workouts, so that the coaches can provide guidance. “We are trying to use all the resources available to us to make the experience as close to what an ideal situation would look like, but I would like nothing more right now than to be in a classroom with my students and on the baseball field with my players,” he said.
Mr. Bloss also asked his players to share what they are doing to stay mentally healthy. He has recommended that all of his students and players spend time outside each day, while maintaining social distancing guidelines. “While this is not an ideal situation for our players, especially our seniors, they have had a positive attitude and still hold out hope that we will have some semblance of a season,” Mr. Bloss said.
Girls’ Track Coach Jeffrey Brentson has started to use a platform called Final Surge to post workouts and track athlete’s progress. The platform allows athletes to post their heart rate information, as well as share any soreness or injuries with the coaches. The coaches check in with each athlete every day, and give feedback on their runners’ form and technique through video clips. He is considering using the platform in the future, even when school is opened. “The great thing about the app we are using is that it allows for us to see the athlete’s progress really well and gives us even more data than we actually would have had from the girls under normal circumstances,” Mr. Brentson said.
Mr. Brentson said that even with the platform, it is hard to keep track of some athletes that are not inclined to post their progress on the app or reach out to the coaches on their own. “Granted, these same girls would likely have been peripheral in their participation if we were meeting as normal, but I suppose it makes their lack of participation more stark,” Mr. Brentson said.
Mr. Brentson tries to have some sort of interaction with every athlete each day through encouraging comments or checking on their workouts. “I know it makes a big difference for the girls to have that sort of attention from their coach and it makes the experience that much more positive for them,” he said.
Sophomore track sprinter Zoey Bennett said that the biggest challenge with virtual coaching is losing the face-to-face interactions with her coaches and the competition of running with her teammates that push her to work harder. “Although it takes more self-motivation because I am training independently and not with the team, the coaches have created a clearly defined training schedule to follow each day, making it more manageable to stay active and healthy,” Zoey said.
Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Kristin Woods has created an online curriculum for her team and has hosted Zoom workouts with assistant coach Madison once or twice a week. In the Zoom meetings, the coaches go over offense and defense plays and drills. The coaches have also made a Wall Ball challenge using an app called Snypr to track their reps every day. “The girls have done an amazing job adapting and embracing the challenge,” Ms. Woods said. “I know that when we are able to get back on the field again we will be fully prepared.”
Sophomore lacrosse goalie Claire Mahoney said she struggles with not getting the constant reps and exposure that she usually gets. “As a lacrosse goalie, getting in as many reps helps me grow the hand-eye coordination and the footwork skills that I need to be successful,” Claire said.
Even so, Claire said that she finds it easy to reach out to her coaches and team, especially with the weekly Zoom meetings and the wall ball challenge. “It makes me feel like I am connected to my teammates, and it is something to look forward to everyday,” Claire said.
Claire said that she has been able to stay healthy during quarantine with the help of her coaches and her team. “It can be difficult to be active when our world seems like it has come to a halt, but luckily I am able to stay motivated thanks to all of the resources that my coaches have given me,” Claire said.
