Cheerleading

Senior Chloe Troung

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“I’m a little bit nervous that it’s going to be cold, but usually, towards the end of our cheer season we get a couple of snowy or really cold rainy days anyway, so I think it should be fine. I feel like the nostalgia is not the same, but I’m happy that we got a season in general.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“Yeah definitely. In the summer, we thought that we were going to have cheerleading in the fall, so we did a ton of recorded workouts to send out to the team. I think in the time since then, we have slacked off a little bit and we are definitely going into the season less prepared than usual because usually, we’ll have a summer camp and a bunch of stuff to prepare that we didn’t get to do.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“No, I didn’t.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“Just having fun and getting back together with all the girls. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten to be a team, so I’m looking forward to just hanging out with everyone, one last time.”

Senior Lucy McGlynn

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“I guess it’s kind of weird just because we’re going to have to cheer at football games still and it’s going to be freezing. That’s the only crazy part just because our sport is inside anyway and we have winter cheer. So, it’s not as different as it would be if we had an outdoor sport.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“Definitely. First of all, in the summer we did captains practices remotely. We just took videos and posted them on Instagram. Instagram has been much more of a platform for a sport than it has in the past. Just getting information out and getting to know people, we’ve used that a lot, which is really unusual for cheer. Usually, we have our team in the spring, that’s when our usual tryouts are, so for them to be all the way now in February, it’s so weird that we don’t even know the team.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“I did not.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“Honestly, I feel like this season is going to be a really good way of taking a break from everything and having some sense of normalcy now. Now, we don’t have competitions, they’re trying to work that out for the next season that we have, so it will just be good to get to know people and have new faces that aren’t always in our cohorts.”

Football

Senior Aidan McKenna

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“It just kind of feels like how the end of the football season feels when we have the cold practices before the Thanksgiving game. You throw the ball more in the summer than in the winter, so as a receiver, you can show what you can do more. It’s different, but it’s something we’ve seen before.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“Instead of having from December to March to get stronger and from March to July to get faster, you have over a year just to get in better shape and get ready for the season. The preparation became more focused on the long term rather than recovery.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“I didn’t. I looked to see if I would be interested in any but in the end I stuck with football and got ready for it.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“Going 5-0. We only have 5 games, so just taking advantage of each one. I hope we win them all.”

Other football captains include seniors Mike McEvoy, Jeff Valentine, Colin Wing and Rio Ferguson. 

Unified Basketball

Postgraduate of Community Access Program Sofia Roumiantsev

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“I am feeling good about playing a fall sport in the winter because it gives me something to do in the winter.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“The preparation for this season is a little bit different considering the fact that we have to wear masks and that we have to remain 6 feet away from each other.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“I did take the opportunity to participate in a winter sport. For the first half of winter, I have been skiing through the Special Olympics. My ski season is slowly winding down, which gives me the opportunity to play more basketball.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“I am most looking forward to getting to know my fellow teammates.”

Girls’ Volleyball

Senior Rachel White

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“It’s definitely different because it’s a different time of the year, but it’s still volleyball so it’s nice that we actually get our season. As a team, we’re just happy that we’re able to play and even though it’s short, we’re still going to have good competition.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“It definitely has been. Usually, in the summer we’d have a camp and then tryouts and the season is a lot longer, but this year we just jumped into it.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“I didn’t but I know a lot of players, especially freshmen, who did.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“I’m looking forward mostly to just being able to hang out with my teammates and be able to play volleyball and still have games, and even though it’s very different at least we’ll still be able to play.”

Other volleyball captains include seniors Maeve Hamling and Yasmin Lee.

Boys’ Indoor Track

Senior Mikhail Medina

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“I think it’s great that we’re having a season at all no matter when it is. Since many kids who do indoor also do outdoor, it will definitely help to have both seasons close to each other; no one will be out of shape during outdoor and the team might be better than its ever been with more consecutive months of practice.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“Without many organized practices throughout the winter, our coaches sent us workouts to be doing individually. Training was still similar but the vast majority of it was done alone. Some of us used the Strava app to share our runs with the team and to see what everyone else was up to. Strava definitely helped a lot of us stay motivated this winter.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“No, I normally do cross country in the fall, but I did not do another sport in the winter. I just used the spare season to increase weekly running mileage and intensity.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“I know many of the kids on the team have been grinding all winter and I’m excited to see how fit they’ll be when it comes time to race, throw, or jump. I’m also looking forward to having some company on runs.”

There were no named captains for the boys’ indoor track Fall 2 season.

Girls’ Indoor Track

Senior Danielle DeFeudis

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“It is an adjustment to be running outdoors in the winter because in years past, we have had gym space to practice. It is also going to be interesting running the distances of indoor track on the outdoor track. With that being said, I can’t complain because having a season with modifications is better than not having a season at all. I am pleased that we could make the necessary adjustments.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how?

“Yes, preparation has been different this year. Aside from outdoor practice, we were only allowed to have five or so ‘out-of-season practices. So, for the most part, training has been self-motivated and individual to remain Covid safe.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“I did not take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter season, but I tried to run and lift to prepare myself for the upcoming season.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“I am most looking forward to being back with the team. I find that despite being a large team, we are pretty tight-knit. I am also looking forward to seeing athletes from opposing teams because, over the past few years, I have built connections with them as well.”

Senior Christina DeFeudis

What are your feelings about playing what is typically a fall sport in the middle of the winter?

“I am excited to be practicing and potentially competing again, regardless of the later start to training. I am thankful that we are having a season, even if it consists entirely of practices. Having a routine where I exercise more consistently in a group of friends is something I am looking forward to getting back into.”

Has the preparation for this season been different from a typical season? If so, how? 

“I think this year it has been much harder to stay motivated and in shape in the off-season. We were allowed to have a few out-of-season practices with the team to get a few workouts in this winter, but otherwise, I have been training independently. I am not used to having so much time off from organized sports, so I think the first few weeks of practices will definitely challenge me.”

Did you take the opportunity to try a new sport during the fall or winter seasons, since your primary sport was moved?

“No.”

What are you most looking forward to about this season?

“I am most looking forward to being back with the team. I am excited to reconnect with the team members I haven’t talked to in a while and get to know the new girls joining the team. Even though we have a large team, we have always worked hard to make it cohesive. Our large senior squad has been extremely competitive since we were freshmen and I am really hoping we get a chance to compete as seniors. We have missed out on a lot, and I really hope this season goes off as planned. I would love to leave Algonquin with another district title.”

There were no named captains for the girls’ indoor track Fall 2 season.