Ingrid Janney ‘24
This fall, athletes and coaches are looking forward to the return to a normal athletics schedule. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, athletics during the 2020-21 school year were anything but ordinary: interscholastic competition was not allowed, resulting in students being forced to resort to “blue and white” scrimmages rather than league meets, matches, or games. These events were fun, but they could not compare to the exhilaration that comes from competing against other teams.
Lily Gugino ‘24, swim team member, said, “It all just feels so different in the best possible way. We all just feel so much closer as a team without so many covid restrictions.”
With the loosening of restrictions, Mercersburg will regularly be playing against other schools and spectators will be allowed at all of the games. Eleanor Ballantine ‘24 said, “Having other teams at games and everyone there to cheer motivates me to play even harder.” “I can’t wait for the day when I can begin and end a game by shaking hands with an opponent from another school,” Emma Hobbs ‘23 said. All of the teams but field hockey have had their first competitions, and Storm teams traveled to Hun this past weekend.
This fall, the primary goal of the coaches is, in the words of Athletic Director Paul Sipes, “to get our teams back out there and return to play!” Athletes want to compete, and so do the coaches. “The teams are going to be strong – we will play in the MAPL, we will swim at Easterns, we will wrestle in National preps!” Sipes’ inspiring attitude ensures that Mercersburg Athletics will “compete in larger sporting events and look good while doing it.”