Athletics

ATHLETIC FALL

Conditioning Program

Sport-specific conditioning groups including basketball, cross county, golf, gymnastics, tennis, volleyball, water polo and swimming were back on campus this semester. Mercy offered three sessions of Fall conditioning opportunities on campus. Led by members of Mercy’s coaching staff, the conditioning sessions develop healthy, top-level athletes.

Mercy Head Athletic Trainer and Interim Athletic Director Keri Sotak is coordinating our Strength & Conditioning Program, which is focused toward injury prevention and athletic performance specific to each sport. Sotak said, “We are thrilled to be able to safely offer sports conditioning on campus for our students at Mercy! It has been a wonderful opportunity for the students to exercise, focus on fine tuning sport specific skills, and safely socializing with their peers from a distance. The on-campus conditioning allows the students to exercise two times each week with a coach and their peers. We have been given great feedback from the students and parents that they enjoy being able to come on campus and experience some sort of normalcy during the week. Our coaches have been amazing with providing a lot of energy and instruction. We wouldn’t be able to do this without them!”

“Even though the basketball conditioning on campus has not been the easiest, it has been going well and I hope to attend all sessions available. Being on campus for conditioning has been a nice way to get out of the house. It is fun to be able to workout with new and current basketball players in a safe way, while preparing for the season with our coaches.” —Asupa Mila ‘21 “I am very grateful for the opportunity to come to campus for conditioning sessions. I think it is great that we are able to condition for our sports, be back on campus, and see our coaches and teammates! These sessions are helping all of us strengthen ourselves, so when we get back on the court we will be ready to play.” —Gianna Lumanlan ‘22 “I was so excited that Mercy was able to start conditioning on campus while adhering to safety regulations. I have loved going to practice these past few weeks! It is a great opportunity for all of us to connect with teammates, catch a break from Zoom, and workout!” —Mia McElroy ‘21

Mission & SERVICE

FRESHMEN RETREAT Campus Ministry traditionally offers a retreat for the Freshmen at the beginning of the school year so students can get to know each other outside of their classes. Given that Mercy began the school year in Distance Learning, the bonding that takes place at retreats was even more crucial. Campus Ministers Angie Simonetti and Sandy Flaherty with the help of Freshman Moderator and Freshman Religion Teacher Kelsey Connolly created and offered an in-person retreat for the Freshman Class during Distance Learning. The theme of the retreat was “Mercy Sisterhood.” Faculty members and 14 juniors and seniors as well helped with the retreat for our newest students which offered those students some in-person time while being able to answer questions. The retreat was a round-robin of four stations, which included walking around the Campus, playing with a parachute on the Green, answering questions, and exploring the Labyrinth. At the end of the retreat the freshmen were given a Freshman Survival Kit. “ Freshmen were able to continue friendships made online while making new ones too! The Freshmen Retreat was a great experience that allowed the Freshmen class to get to know each other face to face instead of through screens. It was also a great way for us all to mingle and say hello to each other just as we would if we were going to school on the Mercy campus. The experience was amazing because even though we were not all together in person, it gave us a chance to at least get to know some of our classmates and see everyone’s personality. —Clara Keough '24 I knew I belonged at Mercy from the beginning, and the retreat just affirmed my feelings. It was so nice to finally see other girls from my classes, to get to know some teachers better, and to experience Mercy like I would have been doing right now. Even though I can’t be with my classmates, I know when we do get to be together, it will be lots of fun! —Matea Houle '24 “ “ “ TRANSFER RETREAT The theme of the retreat for students who have transferred to Mercy this year was “Mercy Endures Forever.” This retreat gave students who transferred from Mercy San Francisco time to go back to the Mercy San Francisco campus. They were able to go back into the school they love so much to remember, to reminisce and to grieve that loss. The Mercy students had time to pray together and were able to write messages to their beloved school in the courtyard. Students were then welcomed home to Mercy Burlingame by faculty and students from Mercy Burlingame. This offered the opportunity for the transfer students to meet some of their classmates in person. It impressed on all present that Mercy truly endures forever. I’m very grateful that I got to visit Mercy SF for one last time. Mercy isn’t just a building, it’s all about the memories, opportunities, sisterhood, and relationships I’ve created there over the past 3 years. Of course I’ll always be sad I can’t visit the The Mercy SF retreat was a very good experience. I was very happy to be able to see my friends, and being back on campus made me grateful for my three years there. It made me realize how much I “ “ have grown as a person. I really actual campus, but I’m thankful I am still in touch appreciate Mercy B for helping us gain closure. I am very grateful to still have the opportunity to receive a Mercy education. —Amelie Justo-Sainz '21“ “ with SF graduates, faculty, and friends. I also love how we were greeted at Mercy B. Yes there were two Mercy schools in the Bay Area, but they both stand for the same mission, and I love that I can continue on my journey as a Mercy student. —Kailey Sao '21 2222 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL, BURLINGAME MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME