WOODBURY — Throughout the past few weeks, student-athletes have been facing a rollercoaster of canceled games, rescheduled events, and modified rainy practices.
The outcome: less conditioned athletes or a needed break for players to rest and rejuvenate?
Declan Curtin, athletic director at Nonnewaug High School, thinks that the rainy weather has negatively impacted players.
“What’s most disappointing is the players get all pumped up for games and then all the sudden they realize they’re going to a wet practice,” says Curtin. “So that’s frustrating.”
Aubrie Salisbury, a freshman on the girls soccer team, also finds it can be frustrating having practices and games moved around.
“We’re trying to condition and prepare [so] having everything get switched and not being able to practice is pushing us back, and it’s super frustrating,” says Salisbury. “Yet having a break can be nice.”
While canceled games may irritate some athletes, Nonnewaug athletic trainer Sean McGee says that the extra rest might be beneficial.
“I think it’s a blessing to have a light day or a day off for rest, especially with kids and athletes going six days a week,” says McGee. “They can have more aches and pains, so giving them a day off or a light day such as a rainy day is actually a good thing for mental and physical health.”
Not only has the rain been having an influence on sports teams activities, so has another natural element. As sports teams were kicking off at the beginning of the year, a heat wave rolled over the east coast, landing hard on Connecticut.
This reflected drastically on athletes. Not only was playing in the heat exhausting, but because of the state’s mandated Wet Bulb Globe Temperature for school sports, some games were canceled, and practices were moved to after 6 p.m. during the first full week of September.
It solidified the fact for many that the heat was no joke.
“I’ve seen a lot of the athletes having trouble with the heat, not performing to their top ability, cramping, vomiting,” says McGee. “Some kids are even delirious, especially if they overheat.”
Regardless of the ups and downs of canceling and rescheduling, everything is coming along.
“We’re getting it done,” Curtin said. “We do have a conference [the Berkshire League] that works well together and I do have the luxury that other leagues don’t have: lights. So if I need to move games to night, I will do that.”
