Ben Greenberg, a fifth former this year, is one of the many winter athletes returning to campus to participate in the Low Residency Program. Greenberg met up with his teammates on the boys hockey team on Jan.15 to begin the winter training. 

Greenberg was unsure if he was to have his junior season; but, after hearing that Hill was going to have LPR, he was excited. He said, “It was definitely something to look forward to, being given the opportunity to live with the team.” 

During a normal season, the hockey team travels almost every weekend to play out of state teams, that being some of the players’ fondest memories. Greenberg said, “Road trips were always fun because we were all together, so this feels like one big road trip in a sense.” 

Coming on to campus, Greenberg did not expect that he would be able to hang out with the other teams that are on campus during their free time. However, he discovered he was mistaken, as student-athletes were allowed to hangout if they were masked and socially distanced.

Just like the other teams on campus, the hockey team follows a schedule, mentioned by Greenberg. They normally wake up at 8 a.m. and have health checks at 8:15 a.m., then they head to breakfast for 8:30 a.m.

After breakfast, they have from 9 a.m. to about noon to do their H-Term work followed by lunch at 12:10 p.m. After they eat, they have a lift at 2:30 p.m., then right onto the ice at 4 p.m. 

After practice, the team goes to dinner around 6:50 p.m., followed by check-in at 7:45 p.m.; then they have free time till 9:45 p.m., when check-in happens and temperatures are taken. Then their night ends with a “soft” lights out at 11 p.m.

Normally, when the time comes for lights out the dorm parents or coaches are usually strict about it; but Greenberg said, “11 o’clock lights out, but it’s pretty loose because the coaches trust that we’ll take care of our bodies and have a good sleep schedule.”

The team was scheduled to play their first game of the season against Trinity Pawling on Feb. 6 and 7. Sadly, the team lost both games that weekend. 

The COVID-19 protocols have been strict for the teams. The hockey team has been split up into two groups, switching on and off who can get dressed in the locker room and who will get geared up on the bench. When going on to the ice, the players must have a mask on at all times. 

Greenberg really enjoyed this experience and said, “I think it’s a lot on our bodies, which also gives us the perspective of more sport-oriented focus, and it’s kinda like being a professional athlete in some ways.”