How the Varsity team feels about a new head coach.

By Paige Ludwig

Cortland NY- For five seasons Nolan Sinclair had led the lady purple tigers Varsity basketball team in the head coaching position. Last season the girls were 13-7 overall last year with a tough loss to Whitesboro in the second round of Sectionals. Nolan stated that last season was one of his best seasons as a coach for the varsity girls basketball. As Sinclair leaves his program, he doesn't leave it to just some stranger; he leaves it in the hands of Janice Meyers.

Meyers was the Junior Varsity girls basketball coach for four years. I had the chance to interview coach Meyers and see what her response is to being the new head Varsity Coach. Janice explained “ I could not be more excited. Cortland basketball has been my focus for the last four years and it has been my goal and dream to run this program. I am truly honored to be given this opportunity”. I also got to talk with Sadie Urtz and Adrianna Murphy who play for the girl’s Varsity basketball program here at Cortland to see how they felt about a new incoming head coach. They both explained to me that they are ready for a change and they are excited to see what Janice has planned out for this year and what the season will be like. I also asked them what they are excited for and Sadie's answer stood out “Hopefully having a season and having a successful one with the girls I’ve played with all through high school and having a strong bond and being there for each other”. Although the season's start date has yet been declared, the lady tigers are still anxiously waiting for their season to start!

Senior Field Hockey members share their season thoughts.

By Chris MacDuffee

Cortland, NY- Seniors Cordelia Bair and Kylie Davie share their feelings on how their season has gone and how they think it’s going to end. The field hockey team has played a total of 6 games and are currently 1-2-3.

This week is the team's last game of the season as they're facing Cicero. “I am confident we will come out on top and end our season on a good note” Said Cordelia when asked how she feels about how the game is gonna go. Kylie also feels similar about their final game, although she is also sad to see their season and career as well come to a soon end. “I am sad to say goodbye to the team because we have grown so much together, the field hockey community is like nothing I have ever been a part of and it is sad to say goodbye to the girls once it is over”. With no post season games due to the pandemic, this truly is the last hurray the team will celebrate. The pandemic has also affected more than just the postseason. The team will play only half their usual schedule and there will not be as many awards given out. One of the team's most memorable games was their senior night, they played FM and tied 1-1 in overtime. “We played well as a team and we switched positions around so we were able to have each other back really well and as seniors this was one of the best games we have ever played” said Kylie. Cordelia also agreed and added “they were a good team, we went in with our fullest and in the end we were happy with the outcome”.

Football teams across the state not to take the field this fall.

By: Annie Austin

School sports is an activity that plays an essential role in many students' physical and mental health. COVID-19 has postponed many activities for our students. I got the chance to interview CHS senior quarterback Collin Williams. “It's unfortunate that we have to start football in the spring. I was looking forward to having our senior season of football”, senior Collin Williams said. Football was postponed entirely until the spring of 2021.

Other sports are able to play while socially distanced, masked and with limitations on the number of spectators they can have. The CDC has offered “considerable” guidelines for youth sports in regards to how they play, and how many people are able to be in attendance. The CDC also says that some towns will have to adjust their guidelines with clearance from their local health department. Governor Cuomo declared football as a “high-risk” sport. A significant factor in Governor Cuomo’s decision to postpone football was that there was talk of a second wave, and he had aimed to do this in phases to combat this second wave proactively.

Many questions have arisen among the public with this season’s postponement. One of these being whether or not this will hinder the ability to be recruited for sports in college. When asked if this will make it harder to play sports in college, Williams said “I don’t think that the season being pushed back will make it much harder to play sports in college. It may make it more difficult for people who have just started playing recently, but for those that have a few seasons under their belt, I think that most people have film already that they can send to schools. Although it’s still unfortunate because seniors will not get to send in what may have been their best year in sports for film. Either way, I also think that colleges will be more lenient and understanding of the circumstances.”

This delay in season has also caused negative feelings for the dedicated coaching staff here at CHS and for coaches all across the state. Mr Reif has been involved with the Cortland Football Program for a total of 19 years. In 2001, he was the volunteer assistant coach for modified. He then spent 3 years as head JV football coach, 11 years as assistant varsity coach, and 5 years as head varsity football coach. When interviewed, he was asked “For you, what is the most fulfilling thing about coaching?” Reif said “I generally get to know these kids a lot, fairly at an early age, I have my varsity football team from grades 10-12, for me the most rewarding thing is seeing them grow in confidence, physical abilities, growing stronger and faster and understanding how the game works. Just seeing the kids grow and learn.. and to appreciate how hard it takes to do good” Coach Reif said. This is very showing of his dedication to his team. The players here at CHS can wholeheartedly say that Reif is a dedicated coach.

“We have been able to practice a little bit. Fall sports started September 21, their plan was to give other fall sports a chance to start to see how it goes, so we started a week later, got 3 practices in and got shut down. We just got word on Monday that we can start practices with limitations on Friday.” Coach Reif said. Our school has moved to remote learning until the end of the day Nov. 23 with many people quarantined, therefore this has since changed.

“There has been a lot of back and forth allowed to and not allowed to practice together, ultimately what I am feeling is frustration because what we normally do is we have training in the weight room in the off season. With the early closing of schools last school year we had no spring training, that caused us to not be able to work towards team goals and I couldn’t help the guys get bigger, stronger or faster. That missed time in the weight room hindered bonds and physical training, the kids missed so much due to COVID-19 that they enjoyed. Adding to the frustration there was constant anticipation. The section would give us dates that we could begin practices and that date would come and they would be like “sorry guys were going to have to postpone your season.” There was constant changes with when we could start” Coach Reif said. The back and forth of being able to practice and not being able to practice has taken a toll on our football players and their coaches. Cortland High School hopes to see the football team out on Moiseichik Field in the spring!