As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect millions, it remains challenging to predict when society will return “back to normal.” This uncertainty extends to our return to the Fieldston campus in the fall, and the sports seasons many hope will occur. As a rising senior, I have been looking forward to my senior soccer season since I was a freshman, and my excitement only increased with our successful season this past fall. Unfortunately, all fall sports athletes are left with little clarity on the likelihood of a 2020 season.
“The thought of it being a season that we are all used to and what we had last year is probably slim, so the question is what will it look like,” said Gus Ornstein, Fieldston’s Athletic Director. And that’s really the million dollar question. Will athletes have to wear masks during games? Will the fall season be delayed or shortened? Will preseason be cancelled completely? Will it be all sports or just some? Gus says that “everything is on the table.”
The athletic directors have been focused on evaluating options to allow for the fall season. Gus said there are weekly meetings to weigh possibilities, decide what is realistic, and continue to adapt as new information is available.
As far as timing for a decision, Gus said, “Our thought is the longer we can wait to make a decision, the better. We will be able to see how things go as we enter phase one and throughout the summer.” The New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) will be updating families and athletes about the fall season on July 1st.
The decision regarding school athletics is dependent on school re-opening in the fall (fingers crossed). The athletics staff is prepared for many contingencies. “We have so many thoughts and ideas about how we can possibly do anything we can to have some competition and some season in any capacity (hopefully being as normal as possible). All we want to do is come back and if there’s a way, we want to make it happen!”
