The New “Normal” — A Glimpse into Overlake Sports Amidst the Pandemic
The fall sports season holds such a great importance to The Overlake School’s many student-athletes. It marks the beginning of a new school year, encompassing a chance for students new and old to reunite, holding wins that go down in school history, and carries with it a special sense of community, intensified through the home games and spirit days. So, when the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) announced the movement of the fall sports season to the late spring of 2021, it was like a punch to the gut; another hit piling on top of the losses and let downs already brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
But, nevertheless, in true Overlake fashion, our athletes were able to take to the fields, courts, and the trails, in a series of outdoor, COVID-friendly practices, bringing about a little more of our normal routine life to this period of such uncertainty.
Starting off with health checks through the app Magnus V5, the Overlake health and athletic departments have created a practice environment that is safe and respectful towards the various needs of our students.
When asked about her thoughts on these altered practices, physical education teacher and volleyball coach, Mindy McGrath, answers, “I think that it is a really challenging puzzle and we are all making the best of it. I am completely enjoying getting to see student-athletes in person and it definitely reinvigorates my love of fall.” She managed to sum up the entire experience in just a few sentences. A “puzzle” it certainly is, not just for the coaches who have had to re-invent their practice drills, but also for the athletes who have had to readjust to a different environment with rules they never pictured their sport including.
Touching on the idea of community, McGrath highlights yet another aspect of having such practices that all our students missed, the community. Community is what makes The Overlake School, itself; the idea of completely losing the fall sports season, and possibly more, only brought the spirits of our student-athletes down.
Currently in my second year at The Overlake School, joining the Overlake volleyball team immediately surrounded me with a community of my own, a new group of girls I could call family. The fall sports season was easily the most critical element of my acclimation towards high school at Overlake, especially as a new student. So, the realization that this year's new students won’t have that same opportunity has made this cancelation all the more radical, and these COVID-friendly practices, all the more important.
In addition to just being able to have the opportunity to be back out on the fields, courts, and trails, the opportunity to see our friends and teammates again is one of the most important aspects of “normal life” that these practices have restored. As a sophomore, soccer player Caelen Yoong puts it, “ The fall practices are a great way to stay connected with the school and friends. It’s also an amazing way to improve your individual skills while staying fit during this unusual time.”
These practices can be seen as a celebration; a celebration of Overlake spirit and how quickly we, as a community, have managed to adapt to this new “normal.” The true essence of our school shines through in the idea of these practices. The never-failing hard work and dedication from our administration, coaches, and athletes to make these practices run so smoothly, encapsulates perfectly just what it means to be an Overlake Owl.
Whether you play an indoor or outdoor sport, in the fall, winter, or spring, The Overlake School has managed to create an environment where each student can not just play their sport, but play their sport comfortably. Following all the health guidelines brought on by the CDC and the state itself, this atmosphere that has been created is one where student-athletes, such as myself, can thrive, and safely at that as well.
As Mike Tyson once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” COVID tried its best to punch us in our mouth, but in the true Overlake fashion, we stood up, and punched back we did.
