As the prevailing coronavirus continues to warn us of the perils of nature, interscholastic competition is now yesterday’s story and athletic programs all over the world have been forced to play by Covid-19 rules. Whether it is the NBA Disneyland Bubble or the interscholastic competitions that schools like Hill are involved in, every institute and system must adapt to this new climate. In face of the challenges, obstacles, and hardships Covid-19 brings, The Hill remains resilient in its core values and have made modifications to the athletic program. 

 Team practices for fall sports have been drastically different from prior years. One key difference is the shift in focus from team improvement to player development. As Mr. Eilberg, the Director of Athletics at The Hill explains, “Without games, our teams have been even more focused on player development. And within practices, since we must still practice with physical distancing, our drill work is more individual.” Moreover, even though canceled games and distancing rules in training are very discouraging, this has brought out a stronger mentality in Hill’s teams. A strong mentality is a vital ingredient in the formula for success, and in the words of Mr. Eilberg, “This mental toughness is strengthening foundations of gritty team culture that will lead to future successes”. 

Competition is the backbone of athletic culture and in its absence, athletes and teams need to find other sources of motivation, joy, and intensity. Its absence has particularly affected teams that play in high contact sports since scrimmages within the team violate social distancing rules. For the sports that are more individual, there is less impact because intra team competition is still an option. Mr. Lagor, the Head Coach of Boys Golf describes the absence of competition as “discouraging, disheartening” and how certain sports were affected more than others: “Football and  Water Polo teams can’t scrimmage amongst themselves, but golfers can still compete.”  

Looking into the near future, Hill’s winter term and the plan for winter sports have also been tweaked and modified. In the words of Mr. Eilberg, “Winter sports remain on as scheduled and we hope to have an update about the time between Thanksgiving and Holiday recess by Oct. 20.  If teams are competing, all student-athletes on that team (both boarding and day) will reside on campus for practices, games, and online school.” 

The possibility of interscholastic competition remains for winter and spring sports, but in the current climate of the world, plans can change by the day with everything being extremely unpredictable. The Hill School, like other schools, sports leagues, and institutes is doing its best to stay steps ahead of COVID-19.