A Formidable Opponent: Athletics Amidst a Pandemic
Our fall athletics season is quickly coming to an end with championship games slated for the coming weeks. Friday night lights will soon be a memory, cheerleading mats and volleyball nets will be stored away, and cross country trails will become scattered with leaves. The Skyhawk nation met the challenges posed by the pandemic and has emerged stronger and more resilient as a result.
Looking back to this past spring, behind the backdrop of a pandemic, we were faced with either sidelining athletics or changing the game plan. Athletics has long been an important component of the Hammond experience with over 93% of middle and upper school students taking the field. Not offering this opportunity for students to hone leadership, time management, and teamwork skills … not to mention the effect athletics has on improved academics and physical fitness … was difficult to consider. Under the guidance of the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), we began planning for the safe re-introduction of athletics. After a three-month hiatus, the Skyhawks began practicing with their sights set on once again taking the courts and fields.
In order to successfully journey through this pandemic together, new protocols were instituted that helped ensure maximum safety for our coaches and players. Face masks, hand sanitizer, and socially distanced training became part of our norm. Many teams were forced to work in small groups rather than together as a team, relying on astute coaching and creativity to provide the all-important cohesion. Parents entrusted us with the protocols we established. Student-athletes, eager to play, embraced our new normal. By working as a school community, we accomplished what many thought was impossible.
Team has never been more important than it was this year. While the season was like no other, we’ve overcome many obstacles and are closing out fall seasons and looking forward to a successful winter season. We are grateful to the entire Skyhawk Nation for the support and enthusiasm we received as we successfully ventured into the unknown.
Go Skyhawks!
