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COVID-19
pushes winter
athletics back
at WA
Last week, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference gave the go-ahead to Connecticut schools for some winter athletics to begin practice on Jan. 19.
But northeastern Connecticut is in the midst of a surge of COVID-19 cases and the Northeast District Department of Health has recommended that the area hold off for two weeks before starting winter athletics.
Thus, high school basketball, hockey and gymnastics at The Woodstock Academy will not begin practices until Feb. 1, according to head of school Chris Sandford.
“The town of Woodstock has seen 21.4 percent of its total cases thus far in the last 9 days alone (66 new cases in the last 9 days, out of a total of 306),” Sandford said Jan. 15. “Based on these numbers, eLearning from home rather than on-campus learning and the delay of most winter sports is appropriate.”
The Woodstock Academy prep basketball teams, due to the student-athletes remaining on campus and being tested on a regular basis, were able to restart practices on Jan. 19.
“At this point, we’ve learned to take it day-by-day and kind of roll with the punches a little bit but they’re certainly starting to feel like punches,” said Woodstock Academy athletic director Sean Saucier.
The CIAC has said that no regular season games can be played before Feb. 8. The delay means high school games at Woodstock Academy will likely start a little later than that.
“That’s still a solid month and a half of the winter season happening, hopefully, that means 8-12 games of competition for certain sports and, at this point, I would take that. I am hopeful that our local area will settle down a bit in terms of (COVID) metrics so that we can get going,” Saucier added.
When those games are allowed to begin, the schedule will follow a format similar to that of the past fall season with up to 12 games against regional ECC opponents.
At Woodstock Academy, basketball is likely to be the one most likely able to get some games in.
There will be no state championship tournament, but there is the possibility that the ECC and others will be allowed to play a conference tournament. If not, regional conference tournaments could possibly be held.
“I’m excited for the kids’ sake. This has been a rough time to be a student-athlete so it’s good to have a light at the end of the tunnel, let them get back out on the floor and have a sense of normalcy,” said Woodstock Academy girls’ basketball coach Will Fleeton.
Normalcy may be hard to come by when it comes to games as the delayed start has shown.
Some local high schools require students to be in the classroom before interscholastic athletic contests are held. Others may not allow their teams to play if their town is in a COVID “red zone” (15 or more cases per 100,000 tests) or if their opponents are coming from a “red zone”.
As of press time, only three towns in the state were not considered red zones, all were on the western side of Connecticut.
There is also the possibility of teams and schools having to shut down in the event of a positive case(s), something that altered many schedules in the fall.
Fleeton said playing games, however, is not the top priority.
“Of course, you want to compete. That’s what it’s all about but we’re going through a different time period right now. Just getting them in the gym, letting them come together, being with their friends and getting some work in. That is what will rise to the top this season,” Fleeton said.
“We have to be especially careful and thoughtful as we progress. The NFL had a lot of injuries early on. I don’t want to put these student-athletes in tough positions. We’re going to take it slow and steady and be sure that they are ready,” said boys’ high school basketball coach Marty Hart.
In addition, all student-athletes this winter will compete in masks.
“For some, it might be a tough adjustment but it will be well worth it to play,” Hart said. “They have to think it’s part of their apparel. I’ve seen some video of kids in Massachusetts playing with masks on and (The College of) Holy Cross does. It’s certainly possible. It will take some getting used to. We will lean on our (athletic) trainers as to how to keep our kids safe.”
Hockey at Woodstock Academy has its own set of hurdles.
The hockey teams have a big hurdle. The boys’ and girls’ teams play and practice at the Pomfret School but Pomfret School is not returning to campus until the end of winter. The Jahn Ice Rink has been closed.
“We’re trying to figure out where we can get ice, how can we train, be creative and give our kids a season,” Saucier said.
Gymnastics will be allowed to compete but whether that happens for Woodstock Academy is a question.
“Going virtual would be ideal but it’s very new in the gymnastics world. It’s not something we have done although other regions have,” said Centaurs coach Kasey Tocchio. “I think we will have a judge come in but I don’t think we will have any other teams coming to our facility.”
Tocchio was hopeful that there would be a state championship that the gymnasts could shoot to qualify for. At best, it looks like there could possibly be a regional or league championship to compete for.
Indoor track, due to the number of people that are generally involved in a meet and lack of venues, will have no competitive events although athletes will be allowed to practice this winter.
“We’re going to bring the kids in, probably by rotation by event — throwers, distance, sprinters, jumpers — and allow them to come in and train a few times a week and, basically, prepare them for outdoor (track),” Saucier said.
The CIAC also announced that the proposed spring football season, meant to replace the canceled fall season, has also been canceled due to the continuing threat of the pandemic.
“I guess the finality of it is disappointing but I would be lying if I said I didn’t see it coming,” said Saucier, who is also Woodstock Academy’s football coach. “There just wasn’t time. Once I saw the timeline for the winter season, it was clear that there was time to insert any alternate season. Disappointed for the team and the seniors, obviously, but it wasn’t a huge shock.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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