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working out ... and a way for them to stay connected to the team .”
As Thornton Academy ’ s upper school athletic teams awaited news about the future of fall athletics programming , coaches remained active in creating meeting and training opportunities in the absence of traditional summer camps and leagues . Golden Trojan field hockey coach Lori Smith ’ 88 “ gathered ” via Zoom with candidates for her program on a weekly basis during the summer months ; in those meetings , Smith communicated detailed plans related to student-athlete cardiovascular fitness , speed training , and nutrition . In addition , she identified a “ skill of the week ” for students to hone on their own . Offering video links to high-level field hockey games and instructional segments , Smith facilitated two-way communication as students worked on those skills . “ I encouraged players to video themselves work on the skills and to send them to me ,” she stated , “ if they would like feedback on technique or corrections that will help them be successful .”
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Similarly , head football coach Kevin Kezal conducted meetings with his players throughout the late spring as a means of checking in , encouraging students to remain safe , and stressing the importance of their academics . |
In late June and July , the focus of the meetings shifted to strength and conditioning workouts that players could complete at home . “ I am more concerned about our players ’ mental well-being than getting themselves physically ready for the season ,” observed Kezal , who noted that “ our coaching staff will take care of [ the sport-specific components ] once we are hopefully able to begin practices .” According to Thornton Academy girls ' soccer coach Natalie Sharland ’ 03 , her program “ has approached this summer with the exact same attitude that we have taken in the past . The circumstances most certainly have changed , but our mentality has not .” Sharland has stressed the importance of “ controlling what you can control .” “[ N ] o one knows what this fall will bring ,” she noted , “ but ... our players have dedicated themselves to being ready .” In addition to weekly meetings that communicate and emphasize individual improvement in sportspecific skills , Sharland has utilized online platforms to foster team cohesion and to communicate program culture . She has posted weekly freshman player profiles on Twitter , offered team technical challenges on a given skill , and shared articles as “ homework .” |
Despite the challenges posed by delivering instruction about athletics through what are relatively unfamiliar and unconventional platforms , Thornton Academy ’ s athletic coaches have been impressed by the effort and attitude shown by the school ’ s student athletes — even in isolation . “ I truly miss seeing our players in person ,” confessed Natalie Sharland , “ but I ’ m very proud of the dedication our players have shown during our ‘ remote summer season .’” Kevin Kezal echoed this sentiment and speaks for all of the coaches of the department : “[ We ] really miss our teams !” |
Thornton Academy will return to face-to-face athletic programming when the time is right . Despite the loss of competitive opportunities and the day-to-day interactions that are the hallmark of school sports , the school ’ s athletic coaches have utilized both the tools at their disposal and their own creative instincts to enhance the connective tissues that form the basis of their programs . Without a script in their hands , they have written a new playbook for conducting athletics during arguably the greatest challenge in the history of education-based athletics . |
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