The University has cancelled the seasons of all athletic teams, and shut down all other extracurricular athletic activities.
This means that some teams will never get to finish their playoffs, or even start their seasons. For first-years who play in the spring, it means waiting another year before taking the next step in their athletic careers. For seniors, it means never getting the last hurrah, or taking their final victory lap.
The UR track team gave two of their seniors, Noah Chartier and Jordan Hurlbut, a mini-meet because they lost the chance to compete in uniform for the last time. “It felt like a really important and special way to send off our seniors,” said first-year thrower Vanessa Wish.
While the track team was able to give some of their seniors a send-off, other teams didn’t have the opportunity. “The seniors’ leadership brought us to the next level,” said first-year lacrosse player Sami Dinhofer, “and it sucks that they didn’t get to see the effect of all their hard work.”
Though it is certainly sad for the seniors to miss out on their last season, it isn’t a pleasant experience for anyone involved, including first-years. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work […] having it end so suddenly gave us no chance to grieve the loss of such a special team,” said Dinhofer.
Both Wish and Dinhofer will be using the time they have on their own to work on their conditioning and whatever skills they can. But both miss the camaraderie of their team, and wish they could have played their season out as normal.
The cancelation of seasons is felt by athletes of all levels, from pro to peewee. Fans and athletes alike will miss out on the enjoyment of the sport, and on the connections and character that sports can help build.
