Working
toward new
heights in a
pandemic
Woodstock Academy strength and conditioning coach Brenden Ostaszewski has been known as “Coach O” since he arrived on campus four years ago.
Soon he will go by the title “Dr. O.”.
Ostaszewski has been working toward his doctorate degree in health and human performance through Concordia University in Chicago.
He recently passed his comprehensive exam and will hopefully be a Ph.D. candidate in the fall of this year.
“I’m excited, but it’s a little stressful,” Ostaszewski said of the process of working toward a doctorate degree.
Ostaszewski still has a major hurdle to clear - his doctorate dissertation.
“The dissertation takes months. I hope to be completed within the year but usually the papers for a dissertation run 100-300 pages. The process starts with a pre-proposal defense, and once that gets accepted, I can go a little further in detail with the dissertation process. Later down the line, I have to defend my dissertation,” he said.
Ostaszewski has chosen an issue of current concern; the impact and effects of COVID-19 on student-athletes.
To call it a very relevant topic may be an understatement. He deals with it on a daily basis at Woodstock Academy.
“The pandemic has affected student-athletes in a negative way. The majority of the kids are very sedentary right now because they are sitting at home e-learning. There is also a general lack of motivation too,” Ostaszewski said.
That sedentary period was recently extended at Woodstock Academy.
While portions of the state began practices for winter sports on Jan. 19, Woodstock Academy wasn’t so lucky.
Due to the high positivity rate in the area, eclipsing 20 percent of those who were tested for the virus in Woodstock, Woodstock Academy pushed back the beginning of winter sports to Feb. 1.
To keep student-athletes active during the lull between fall and winter sports, Ostaszewski has been busy.
 “Fortunately, we have been able to have the kids come in and train in a small group setting within the strength and conditioning program. It’s not the same. The pandemic has had a negative influence on their physical activity levels and on their mental and psychological state as well,” Ostaszewski said.
For that reason and the length of inactivity, almost a year for some, Ostaszewski said winter coaches will have to be cognizant of their athletes’ fitness.
 “We’re recommending that coaches monitor athletes’ performance levels and how they feel on the court. A lot of the kids could be under-trained especially with the day students elearning and the prep kids coming back. Who knows what they have done at home? A lot of different states have different restrictions so some kids may not have been able to train. Coaches have to be mindful of where (the athletes) are coming from,” Ostaszewski said.
Ostaszewski said the fall season was helpful and he is hoping that there will be competition this winter as well as in the spring.
The ECC recently announced a plan to start a 10-game boys’ and girls’ basketball schedule beginning Feb. 12.
Due to some first-week byes in the schedule, Woodstock Academy will not play any games until Feb. 16.
The league will play a regional schedule with Woodstock Academy in a group with Plainfield, Griswold, Killingly, Lyman Memorial, Windham, Putnam, Tourtellotte and Wheeler.
Woodstock Academy is also trying to get some boys’ and girls’ hockey games scheduled.
The team will play out of the RoseGarden Ice Arena in Norwich as the Pomfret School rink is closed for the season.
That nugget, a potential season, is very important to high school athletes.
“When we were training this past summer, kids were wondering what they were actually training for and if there was going to be a season. You can tell that the unknown takes a toll, not only on their performance in the weight room, but psychologically as well,” Ostaszewski said.
And the same could be said for the Woodstock Academy prep basketball players.
What has made it more difficult on the prep team is that, in addition to the lack of games, players have to quarantine when they return to campus.
“When quarantine is over, we have to start the training process all over again and get prepared for training again. Not knowing if there is an upcoming season, the kids can use this time to develop their bodies and get stronger and bigger, hopefully, to get them ready to play at the next level,” Ostaszewski said.
Ostaszewski feels like he has been caught in a “Groundhog Day” scenario when it comes to the prep and even some high school athletes.
“It’s like a general preparation period repeating itself over-and-over again. We get an athlete in the door and we start with very basic, fundamental stuff. We teach them fundamental movement patterns. When they return, if these kids with all these restrictions are more sedentary than before, we have to start the whole process over again,” Ostaszewski said.
In addition, at least at the high school level, games will be played with masks on.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge. It may be a little uncomfortable while playing,” Ostaszewski said. “Breaks will be needed because kids will be performing high intensity activities for a repeat amount of time. It’s not like football which is stop-and-go. Kids are constantly moving on the court so I would recommend mask breaks.”
He pointed out that some companies are starting to produce sports performance masks which will allow athletes to breathe a little better during competition.
And the challenges will not exist only on the physical level.
Ostaszewski said he can imagine non-verbal communication on the court will also be a challenge as facial expressions normally shared between players and between players and coaches will be limited.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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