As the days get colder and shorter, Concord Academy continues to improve the student athletic experience with on-campus sports. Though this season will be very different from previous years, the athletic department is still providing students with a range of different on-campus sport options, including both team sports and P.E. offerings. Let’s take a look at what local students should be expecting, experiencing, and excited for this season.
Similar to the Fall athletic season, on-campus sports will take place on both Wednesdays and Fridays, and will be held on the Main Campus, the Moriarty Athletic Campus, and Emerson Field. Team sports such as Girls Squash, Boys and Girls Alpine Skiing, and co-ed Wrestling will be on the main campus for this winter season. In-person P.E. sports such as Running, Hiking Concord, and Campus Games will also be on the main campus. Boys Basketball and Boys Squash will be on the tennis courts at the Moriarty Athletic Campus and Girls Basketball will play at the Emerson Park Basketball Courts.
CA has had to be resourceful to provide a satisfactory athletic season during a difficult year. The use of indoor spaces for physical conditioning is prohibited at the moment, so all sports will be held outdoors for the foreseeable future. However, there is the possibility of some indoor wrestling, squash, and basketball practices after the return from winter break as stated in the November 2nd community newsletter. Like in the fall season, all players and coaches will be required to wear masks and social distance.
Boys and Girls Alpine Ski Team could possibly have the opportunity to train at Wachusett Mountain depending on what CA and the Concord Department of Public Health decide is safest for the individual athletes and coaches and the overall community. In previous years, the ski team has regularly practiced and raced at Wachusett Mountain and is currently doing dryland training on the quad in preparation for the ski season they hope to have this year.
On December 3rd, a virtual start-up meeting for in-person sports and P.E. was held during which the athletic faculty introduced themselves and set some base-line expectations for the winter season. After coaches and students made their way into individual team meetings, coaches introduced themselves and the sport, and how it would look during this pandemic. Students were given an opportunity to ask questions as well as get a general overview of the sport requirements before in-person sports began the following day.
When students come back from winter break, in-person winter athletics will resume on January 13th, and will continue until February 26th.
Overall, it is very exciting to see so many friendly faces on-campus this winter making the best of this challenging situation. Hopefully, this sports season will be a great one, and all who are participating will have an invigorating experience, build a better sense of community, and have fun. Make sure to bundle up and wear a mask, and enjoy your 2020 in-person winter athletic season!