The noted sportswriter Grantland Rice once wrote, “For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes — not that you won or lost — but how you played the game.”
Since the emergence of COVID-19, the rules have been re-written; N95, social distancing, and contact tracing have all entered our vernacular. The suffering attributed to the virus, including unemployment and separation of families across states and borders, has challenged us on the field of life.
As society adapts to these pandemic circumstances, count among their numbers the athletic directors and student-athletes of South Jersey’s Catholic high schools.
“This situation is not ideal, but we’re following guidelines to provide a safe environment” for student athletes, said Mike Saioni of Wildwood Catholic Academy.
Those guidelines come from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), in conjunction with the New Jersey Governor’s Office, Center for Disease Control and the state Department of Health, as schools now embark on “Season 2” of high school sports, which includes basketball and ice hockey.
As boys’ and girls’ freshman, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams have returned to the court for practices and games, they are getting familiar with the new (everyone hopes temporary) routines.
Participation in games and practices are limited to essential personnel only — player, coaches, referees, and in one school’s case, cheerleaders. All personnel should be masked, including players when they are on the sidelines. Temperature checks and frequent sanitization of practice and game day facilities are in, while post-game handshakes and celebrations, cheering fans in attendance, and showers are out.
“You would think (this situation) would be depressing for these students, but it’s not. … For them, it’s like Christmas morning. They’re playing basketball,” says Sam Hardy of Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill.
Don’t tell Allen Iverson, but even practice has these kids energized.
“These kids getting back, it’s only a positive,” says Steve Normane of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon.
“Moving around, competing, is an escape for them. It means the world to them. They’re thrilled to be out there. They need (the camaraderie, the physical activity, the fellowship) now more than ever.”
“These students can enjoy themselves, have a sense of normalcy” right now, Hardy said.
For those desiring to still root for the home team, the teams’ home games will be livestreamed on their respective YouTube accounts, while the livestreaming of away games is at the discretion of the host team.
At Wildwood Catholic Academy, Saioni says there will be a club cheerleading team rooting from the bleachers, socially distanced from athletes, coaches and officials.
Barring game postponements, by season’s end at the beginning of March, each basketball team would have played approximately 15 games against local competition. No tournaments are scheduled after the regular season.
Demonstrating the challenges of this pandemic season, Camden Catholic has already had to cancel its first three games after a player tested positive for COVID-19.
In the months ahead, schools hope to be able to bring back wrestling and swimming, but nothing is certain, the athletic directors say.
In the case of wrestling, schools are waiting for more specific guidelines from NJSIAA, Holy Spirit’s Normane says.
For swimming, Wildwood Catholic Academy’s Saioni says it’s a little more complicated, as the pool the school uses for home games is not theirs, but on loan to them from another party. Athletes on the swim team can practice there, but due to indoor capacity restrictions, no home games can be held there.
Saioni says other schools like his are in the same situation, and one idea that has been discussed among teams is holding virtual meets, where each team competes from their own home pool and swim times are compared to each other.
Amidst the uncertainty, the student athletes have “shown how resilient, adaptable they can be,” Saioni says.
“At the same time, the pandemic has changed their perspective. … They understand there’s something bigger here,” and not taking things for granted.
“To be part of a team, they realize that’s a privilege,” he continued.
Hardy praised not only the players, but those leading them through this unprecedented time.
“I give the coaches a lot of credit for the work they’ve done; they want this season just as much as the kids do. Everyone is going above and beyond to keep themselves, their teammates, and families safe.”
As Grantland Rice said about golf, “you are meant to play the ball as it lies.”
On this unfamiliar course, all are giving their best shot.
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