Mask rules for athletes
The rules for masks for student-athletes (subject to change) says student-athletes do not have to wear masks during conditioning and skill work in their small “pods” or “cohorts”
It depends on the sport, but generally, coaches with outdoor practices have to split the team into groups of 10 that are allowed to work on skills and conditioning together without masks. When they leave those pods, before or after practice as an example, they must put their masks back on. The coaches must always be masked.
When the season starts on Oct. 1, masks will not be required for those who are on the field playing in soccer, field hockey, and cross-country, but will likely be required by those on the sideline. Volleyball, because it is played indoors, will likely have to wear masks during games.

.

caption:
Workout
Members of the Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer participate in a preseason workout.  Photo by Marc Allard.

Over the past several months, people have been trying to find things to do with their suddenly abundant spare time.
Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer coach Paul Rearden used his to take a course in something he has always been interested in: sports psychology.
It may come in very handy this fall. “It’s going to be interesting. What will drive the kids to better performances if you say never mind the wins and losses?” said Rearden.
Wins and losses, truthfully, will not mean all that much.
There is no league or state titles to play for and only regional competition to play against.
That is, of course, if the boys’ soccer season even gets underway when it’s scheduled to on Oct. 1.
The Centaurs don’t seem to mind about the lack of normalcy, provided they get to be out on the field, kicking a soccer ball, with their friends.
 “It’s amazing to be playing again. I’ve been waiting all summer and with the cancellation of spring sports, I’ve just really missed sports. It’s really great to be out here and see all the boys again,” said senior defender Gabe Geyer.
He and his classmates know what the mission is: Prepare the program for the 2021 fall season.
“We’re really looking to improve and set up for next year. We’re bringing in a bunch of new guys and want to build a foundation for the years to come when there will be stuff to play for,” Geyer said.
Rearden said if there is a bright spot in that picture, it’s that the Centaurs do have some talent on the way up.
“We’ve got a very strong sophomore group and some good juniors. It’s fallen at a nice time so we can get the sophomores and juniors ready for next year,” Rearden said.
There is something for the seniors to play for this year.
Eclipse last season’s win mark.
The Centaurs won’t have far to go to accomplish that after a 1-12-3 record last year.
“We’re much hungrier,” senior Huck Gelhaus said. “We’re so fortunate to be able to play and I think we will take advantage of that. I think we will do well.”
The preseason has been a long one with most of the practices through this past weekend consisting of just conditioning and skill work.
It means Rearden, like many other coaches, are still sorting out the pieces.
He does like one thing that he has seen so far.
“We have some young ones coming in who are real leaders and have already shown that. It wasn’t a lack of leadership last year, they just weren’t as vocal. It was more lead-by-example. I think we have a good mix there this season,” Rearden said.
The seniors in addition to Geyer and Gelhaus include Richard Hickson, Andrew Johnson, Nate Majewski, Marco Maluf, Matt Marshall, James Phongsa, Colin Smith and last year’s leading scorer Eric Phongsa.
Juniors likely to see varsity time include keepers Zach Roethlein and Collin Manuilow.
Sophomores Noah Page, Jeff Phongsa, Wyatt Robbie, Brian Jameson and Baden Eaton will likely see some playing time as well.
Boys’ Soccer Schedule: Thurs., Oct. 1: vs. Ellis Tech, 4 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 3:   at Windham Tech, 4 p.m.; Wed.., Oct. 7:  vs. Killingly, 4 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 9: at Tourtellotte, 4 p.m.;
Wed.., Oct. 14: vs. Putnam, 4 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 17: vs. Windham, 4 p.m.; Wed.., Oct. 21: at Parish Hill, 4 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 24: vs. Windham Tech, 4 p.m.; Wed.., Oct. 28: at Killingly, 6 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 31: vs. Tourtellotte, 4 p.m.; Wed., Nov.4: at Putnam, 4 p.m.; Fri., Nov. 6: at Windham, 3:45 p.m.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

.

caption:

Kicks In
Senior Brynn Kusnarowis kicks the ball in a recent soccer practice. Photo by Marc Allard.



Everything is, actually, a little easier to accomplish so far this high school girls’ soccer season. At least, it feels that way to Woodstock Academy coach Dennis Snelling and his players agree.
Surprising?
Considering it’s the social event of the day for most, probably not so much.
Woodstock Academy is remote learning for much of the week which means the athletes don’t get to see one another very much outside of on the soccer field.
“There is no chance to squabble with anyone. You’re not in school for eight hours a day; you see each other for just the one hour. It’s really hard to find disagreements in that amount of time because we’re just working,” Snelling said.
And the Centaur student-athletes are basking in the moments they get.
“One hundred percent (happy),” said senior Lucy McDermott. “I’m glad that we get to see each other and play, no matter what it is. You have to be thankful for what you have.”
Which is being able to be outside and playing a game they love.
“Being in a school environment and seeing each other every day, as much as we love each other, it’s kind of like we are all sisters. Sometimes, you’re like ‘Get away from me.’ I think (not being in class) makes us look forward (to soccer) even more. We’ve been cooped up all summer. We appreciate the bond, the friendship and the closeness a lot more than we would have had this (pandemic) not gone down,” said fellow senior Brynn Kusnarowis.
Goal No. 1? Just getting to play some games. Fall high school athletic teams realize just how fragile this season could be.
The Covid-19 virus is still lurking and while the positivity rate in the State of Connecticut is one of the lowest in the nation, there is no telling when that trend could reverse itself and force the cancellation of the season.
“I think you make the most of each day,” Snelling said. “I remind the kids every day that it could be our last outside when you look back at how the last school year ended and how things went with football (this fall). We just try and get the most out of each hour-long session and enjoy each other’s company.”
Soccer teams were allowed to condition and do skill work in small groups for the last couple of weeks. Those practices will grow in size and scope before the scheduled opening day of the season on Oct. 1.
If the season manages to get underway, it will not be a traditional year.
There are some other large differences.
The ECC schedule is not broken into divisions by school size and strength, but more into bubbles. For the most part, with some exceptions, schools have been divided by region. The league has also agreed to incorporate Ellis Tech, Norwich Tech, Windham Tech and Parish Hill into its scheduling matrix.
Because larger and smaller schools will be playing one another, there will be no divisional or league championships.
Due to the late start, soccer teams will play only 12 games and, due to the pandemic and a desire not to bring together student-athletes from different portions of the state, no state tournament or state championship matches.
The Centaurs may have lost several seniors from their 11-7-1 season a year ago. But a lot of talent returns.
Sophomore Grace Gelhaus (17 goals, six assists last season) and senior Peyton Saracina (25 & 5) are two of the most prolific scorers in eastern Connecticut.
Junior Adeline Smith returns at center-mid with seniors Caroline Wilcox and Gillian Price able to contribute in both the midfield and backfield.
McDermott and Kusnarowis are both solid defenders and Snelling is enthused about a newcomer to the program, freshman keeper Rebecca Nazer.
“We would like to get her some 11-on-11 experience at the high school level. She’s certainly the future of that position for us. If we had a game tomorrow, she would start in goal. I have that kind of confidence in her,” Snelling said.
Seniors Sophia Mawson, Ciara MacKinnon, Arianna Di Domizio and Sydney Couture will also contribute to the varsity program as will juniors Stella Brin, Ava Coutu, Sadie Susi and sophomores Lennon Favreau and Magdalena Myslenski.
Girls’ Soccer Schedule: Thurs., Oct. 1:   at Killingly, 6 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 3: vs. Windham Tech   3 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 6: at Killingly, 6 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 9: vs. Tourtellotte, 4 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 13: at Putnam, TBA; Sat., Oct. 17:  at Windham, 11 a.m.; Tues., Oct. 20: vs. Parish Hill, 3 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 24: at Windham Tech, 3 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 27:  vs. Killingly, 3 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 31: vs. Killingly, 11 a.m.; Tues., Nov. 3: vs. Putnam, 3 p.m.; Thurs., Nov. 5: vs. Windham, 3 p.m.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

..