The Freshmen Virtual Sport Experience

When Mr. O’Neill announced during gym class that soccer was not completely canceled, Ella Berman (9-2) was so excited that she could barely sit through her next class. However, after sharing the news with some friends after school, she panicked. “I suddenly felt overwhelmed and scared,” she recalled. “The girls on the soccer team had already met and had spent a full normal season together. They already formed friendships and bonded, but as a freshman, I was nervous that we wouldn’t bond because I was new and especially since it was virtual.” Ella was not the only freshman to worry about the new sports seasons. Sports this year are different than anything Masterman has ever done in the past. Training and group activities have been replaced by at-home workouts and modified drills. The virtual season is focused on fitness and team building. Students are working to build endurance for the later in-person competition season. However, this proposed plan has left many, like Ella, wondering how effective the virtual meetings are for the class of 2024 and how are they managing the anxieties that come with being new to a school team.

Ella, fourteen, has been involved in soccer and lacrosse since she was in the third grade. Sports have undoubtedly shaped her into who she is today. “The communication, getting to know the team and working together and sharing those victories, and failures sometimes, is such an amazing feeling,” Ella said. She had been looking forward to high school sports for many years: the games, the practices with upperclassmen, and the chance to test and maybe even establish herself as an important member of the team. She is one of many freshman students experiencing a mix of emotions right now.

Although the teams have managed to accomplish a sense of geniality, it has not been easy, nor the same. Issues such as lack of motivation, comradery, and the question of “am I doing this right?” have troubled the freshmen. “In about the middle of the meeting we go off for a little and

do a designated workout on our own which really tests my integrity. I could just sit there and not do it but it does teach you the good skill of keeping yourself accountable,” said Ella. Students have the choice to turn off their cameras, testing the effectiveness of the virtual meetings. The lack of motivation can also harm the team’s unity. “It is difficult to feel that sense of comradery,” reflected Mrs. Jones, PE teacher and volleyball coach. Being hidden behind a screen and also being new to the group can diminish the sense of being part of a team, a necessary aspect of sports. With everyone separated in their homes, socialization among the members during training is almost impossible despite any efforts made by coaches and captains, making the sports even more intimidating for the newcomers. “The fact that I don’t know if I am completing the skill correctly and I don’t have anyone around me to correct me is certainly unsettling. I may be improving, however I may also be improving in the wrong direction” recounted Gavriela Kalish-Schur (9-4). Many of the skills practiced during this season are taught through online videos. And although they can be helpful, they cannot replace the in-person demonstrations by coaches and captains that ultimately teach freshmen how to play.