by Elizabeth Howard ’24 (Seton House)

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” -Mike Singletary. These words sum up the feeling of all our student athletes and coaches this fall season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trinity community has rallied together to support the new way of play. While the approach to playing sports has changed, the excitement around it is stronger than ever. One thing is clear, whether you are a coach or an athlete, everyone is excited about this strange sports season. Our school has put in extra safety measures to help combat the risk of getting sick. Everyone is doing everything in their power to ensure Trinity students can have the sports experience that is so paramount in high school. The Shamrocks have been given the opportunity to play and they are ready to bring it! 

The sports coaches are trying their hardest to ensure athletes are allowed the quintessential right to play. I spoke with Football Coach Todd Ryan about the changes he has set throughout the football games. He explained how the players keep their distance to stay safe by saying, “So for Friday nights we typically have our ‘Get Back Coach who keeps us out of the way of the officials on the sideline. Now for 2020 we have the ‘Get Apart’ coach to keep the players from congregating on the sideline. We call them the ‘Get Back-Get Away’ Crew.” The soccer coach has also put together a new process with the safety of his players in mind. Caroline Cunningham ’24 (Immaculata House), a member of the soccer team, says, “Before each practice (while wearing masks) we get our temperatures taken and reflect on whether or not we have any symptoms or have been near anyone with symptoms. We record that and if you have any symptoms or a fever you must go home immediately. When we walk down to the fields we are socially distant and have our masks on and space out between each other when sitting near our bags.” 

With the coaches implementing new and creative measures for safety, the players follow the rules so that they may play as long as they can. I talked with the team’s quarterback Cooper Manley ’23 (De La Salle House) to get his opinion on the changes. He says the team is doing a great job of being safe. They wear masks on top of their helmets while they play, they social distance at least six feet apart, and they are even more cautious during practice. Another way our community has adapted and overcome is by livestream. Sofia Warford ’24 (Seton House) explained this by saying, “there are cameras in almost every high school gym that the game is livestreamed from.” These student athletes want the ability to play more than anyone, so they adhere to the rules Trinity has issued ensuring their future gameplay.

This season is strange, and the measures taken may be daunting. However, the spirit at Trinity is at an all-time high. The thing Trinity does best is ensuring their students get the best opportunities possible, no matter the circumstances. The administration has ensured our students get the opportunity to play the game they love, and everyone is grateful.