The Low Residence Program, is the name of the arrangement of sports teams who were invited to campus this winter term. Only a select few of the athletic teams are here on campus and that is for good reason.

Seth Eilberg, Athletic Director, discussed why certain teams including Indoor Track and Field were left off the list for LRP. The Covid-19 rates did not get better as time went on during the fall. The athletic directors made a decision that would hopefully benefit all that they could. With worsening conditions around Pottstown, there were more limits, “so many of the associated limits went with it- mask mandates, limited facility capacities, etc.” Eilberg said.

Eilberg said, “In considering that, we committed to bring back teams that could not reasonably find competition in other seasons.” 

Certain sports were taken into consideration such as Track and Field and Fencing but the athletic directors mentioned how those sports would not have comparable competition in these winter months because Lawrenceville School as well as other high-level programs are not in-person. 

The Cross Country teams were able to compete virtually and run this fall as well as the Track team for five weeks before Thanksgiving break, and will be able to compete in the spring during the outdoor season.

“Indoor track meets are just not feasible with limited facility capacities,” said Eilberg. The pandemic really made an impact on indoor facilities, which is why the Low Residence Program was such a stressful but precise plan. 

The captains of the boys’ and girls’ teams Jamie Olsen, Kiki Lange, and Sydney Floyd talked  about how much they were looking forward to having an indoor season. Olsen mentioned how he was looking forward to coming back after the boy’s team won the PAISAA state title for the past two years, 

“It would have been nice to get the group together and run because I was pushing for a senior indoor season.” Olsen said. 

Floyd, who is playing for the Hill Girls Basketball team, and Lange had the idea of coming back in order to stay in shape as well as help in the recruiting process. 

The Hill puts countless time and money into making their student athletes have an advantage over the competition, as shown through bringing winter programs back on campus. The directors of athletics needed to make a decision, and that was to “to bring back teams that could not reasonably find competition in other seasons and keep the campus as safe as possible,” Eilberg said.