Recently, with the dramatic rise of the number of positive coronavirus cases in Norwich Connecticut, Norwich Free Academy students have been forced to wait for further news about sports coming back. This has caused a shift for the NFA sports teams. Sports did not return until November 2nd, 2020, and no one knows how long we are going to have to wait for Winter sports to come. This is not the first time sports at school have been put on hold, but hopefully it’s the last. 

Fall sports are now supposed to be in full swing, but that doesn’t mean sports of other seasons weren’t affected by the Coronavirus. Those who played sports last year during virtual schooling missed out on their season when we shifted into distance learning. Winter sports are almost here, and the teams are getting ready to be back in action, but some people have yet to realize that things are going to change, and maybe not for the better. 

“Staying away from each other was really hard because basketball is a contact sport,” said Rachel Orcutt, Sophomore, starting center on the NFA girls basketball team. 

Last year the girl’s basketball team faced some difficulties during their season. “I miss the feeling of camaraderie…I love basketball, but I also love it because it’s a social game…” said Orcutt.

Orcutt also admitted, “I’m pretty adamant that we won’t have a season this year, because I don’t think people realize that this isn’t just going to stop.”

  Covid has made people fear that things will not go back to normal. Orcutt realizes that the best thing to do now is try to stay safe, continuing with the new Covid guidelines. That doesn’t mean we can’t have hope. But some people are close to losing it.

“It’s just not looking good, and I think I would rather not have a season and people stay safe, then have a season and have more people…get sick” said Orcutt. Winter team members aren’t the only ones worried about what Covid holds for their future. 

Alexandra Tabilas, Freshman at NFA soccer player who is an outside midfielder,  simply stated “Yeah, the seniors are definitely missing out on their senior year because they’re not playing in as many games.” 

But in everything bad, there is something good. While seniors are, in fact, missing out on sports for their last year at NFA, underclassmen still have years to go. 

 “But, for myself, I still have four years left, so, I’m not that nervous for myself.” Tabilas declared. 

Sports seasons are not guaranteed, but we have hope and there is no telling what the future holds for the rest of the NFA sports.