38After extensive and continued planning, The Hill School administration and staff have collectively made the decision to allow student-athletes to return to campus for the period of H-Term. The low-residency program commenced for basketball, ice hockey, squash and wrestling teams on Jan. 15. Be that as it may, coming back to campus did not come without any COVID-19 precautionary measures and comprehensive preparation. 

In the middle of December, the school was presented with four prerequisite conditions and successfully achieved these goals by the end of the month: the confirmation of sufficient local hospital capacity and access to medical care, a declining trend of the 14-day positivity rate, the development of practical interscholastic competition opportunities by early February and the expiration of temporary restrictions on high school athletes as well as indoor gatherings on Jan. 4. 

For several months, The Hill School has taken significant steps to guarantee the safety and well-being of the returning students, faculty and staff. Knowing there would be no risk to in-person instruction, a campus bubble for the low-residency program and new rapid point-of-care PCR testing available, the school saw this as a realistic opportunity. 

Head Varsity Boys’ Ice Hockey Coach Christopher Bala ‘97 remains hopeful for the month ahead, saying, “it will take everybody to really pay attention to guidelines and protocols.” 

Even though there will be some considerable changes for the team including wearing masks on the ice as well as managing social distancing in the dressing rooms and on the ice, Bala wants to make this “as normal an experience as possible and embrace the opportunity to be together with the team.” 

Athletes’ daily practices may look a little different from previous years, but the goal is always the same: getting better, working hard, and keeping the players engaged. Bala noted, “we are looking for leadership and input from our kids so we can use some of their ideas to help us plan our time together.”As students prepared to arrive on campus for athletics, they were required to get tested for COVID-19, fill out multiple forms, and begin their at-home quarantine on January 1. In order to ensure a safe environment on campus, the students will be tested twice a week, stay 6 feet apart with masks from students not within their flocks, use hand sanitizer daily and follow all social distancing guidelines during games. The school has also provided the athletes with more breathable masks and installed heaters outside for team bonding. 

By Jan. 19, the teams should be able to incorporate some higher intensity workouts and play in their flocks without a mask as the “opening conditions” phase comes to a close. 

Varsity girls ice hockey player Isabelle Di Liberti ‘21 states, “I am hoping our team has a very successful season and we can create a strong bond altogether. A good family relationship on the ice translates to a good relationship on the ice.”

Because many sports seasons have been shortened tremendously, the athletes are taking this time to play to the best of their abilities while holding each other accountable for their actions during such a challenging time. 

“As a sixth former, prefect and leader of the school, it is my job to make sure everybody is following the rules, not just for my safety but for theirs as well,” varsity girls basketball player Cynthia Williams ‘21 explains. 

Acknowledging most boarding schools do not get the chance to be on campus right now, Williams is determined to stay focused and set a good example for her teammates. As the low-residency program begins, the athletes are looking forward to reuniting with their teammates and improving their skills whether it is on the basketball court, ice hockey rink, wrestling ring or squash courts.