Coaching at Hill during a normal year is chaotic in itself. However, coaching during a global pandemic brings even more changes and variables. Leading a team during COVID-19 has proven to be a challenge in many ways, especially with changing guidelines and a constant need for safety. Hill has tried to give safe options for playing sports, which has been quite difficult but has resulted in some small but meaningful positives. Hill coaches and student-athletes have been given a unique opportunity this winter, where students may enroll in specific courses and train on-campus. Especially during this period called H-Term, Hill coaches worked toward personal and team-wide development, combining old and new strategies for team bonding, building skill, and finding satisfaction in practices. 

The fall term was especially strange as student-athletes got used to new guidelines on campus and even stricter rules for team practices. Mark Nelson, the head coach of the girls water polo team, stated in an email, “Practices were limited to non-contact drills and our interscholastic competition season was canceled.” For any team sport, finding new drills and formatting practices was a huge change from previous seasons. 

For winter sports, contact was once again limited to small groups of three to five student-athletes on campus. Head coach of girls varsity hockey, Ari Baum, said that “a big challenge for ice hockey, as well as other sports, are that the locker rooms are very COVID-dangerous, and you can’t gather in ways that you used to that are culturally important to the sport.” However, winter coaches like Mr. Baum and Mr. Eilberg have found that Zoom is a great tool for keeping student-athletes, prospective students, and remote athletes connected. 

Mr. Baum noted that he “gives more credit than [he] can possibly articulate to Dr. Spencer and the medical team, as well as Mr. Eilberg, Ms. Gaitan, Mr. Notebaert, and our whole athletic team as well as coaches and athletes” for being able to safely participate both in the fall and winter. He said, “It is an incredible point of pride for Hill to be able to recreate the Hill athletic experience in a safe way.” Although coaches have been faced with tough decisions and situations, Hill coaches are doing their best to use time, especially during H-Term, wisely and help to further team development and individual strengths.