The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 1 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on September 18, 2020.
By: Stephanie Carlson ’21
Associate Editor and Sports Editor
With the continuing spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and well being of students, faculty, and staff at stake, many colleges have decided to go completely or partially remote for the fall semester or for the entire 2020-2021 school year. Although Lake Forest College officials were optimistic in their planning that students would be back in “the forest” this semester, the pandemic necessitated changes to their plans, and it was a sad day for all when the announcement came that the College would be going completely remote for the fall semester.
Not only were all LFC students, faculty, and staff saddened by the news, but the fall sports teams took it especially hard. The NCAA announced over the summer that all fall sports would be postponed to the spring considering the dangers that meeting in large groups or for contact sports would pose. Additionally, the Midwest Conference (MWC), of which Lake Forest College is a member, announced on July 27 that conference competition would be suspended for fall and winter sports through December 31, 2020.
“There was a mix of emotions when we found out that fall sports were postponed. I understood that the leadership of our conference, college, and our athletic department made this decision with the health and safety of all our students in mind. It was not easy, but as a team, we are trying to make the most of the situation that we are in,” said Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Katie Rueffer.
Now, the teams face the challenges of working together and staying connected apart. While many teams still do regular check-ins, their own versions of virtual team workouts, and do their best to stay connected as a unit, it is not always plausible or realistic remotely.
“The change affected and [continues to]affect us significantly. With a team of just over 100 members, it is difficult to do Zoom calls and things of that nature because of the sheer numbers. We were only two weeks away from our report day when the decision was made,” said Head Football Coach James Catanzaro.
Through all the difficulties that this semester has and will continue to have for the teams, many are optimistic that we will be back and ready to start again in the spring. For many of the seniors, the spring will be their last opportunity to participate in the collegiate sports that they love.
Head Men’s Soccer Coach Daniel Andrews said that his seniors are certainly feeling the frustration. “Seniors are frustrated and disappointed, but they are hoping to salvage a season from the rest of this year in the spring,” he said.
As devastating as this has been for the players, coaches took the news just as hard. After fostering significant relationships with their teams and dedicating a significant amount of time to them, the coaches are feeling the frustration as well.
“One of the reasons that I chose to coach at the Division III level was the personal relationships that I get to have with our players. I miss the interactions in the cafeteria, meeting room, and when it is totally unfocused on accomplishing a task. Knowing that we would go 11 months without having seen our team in person was a very depressing feeling. Zoom is not the same because most Zoom interaction is based on accomplishing a task or getting information out. The small interactions are what build our family vibe that we celebrate when we are together,” said Catanzaro.
Although we may not know what the future holds for college sports, college officials, coaches, and teams are all optimistic that we will be back and more ready than ever for a great semester of spring sports.
