Vol 135 No. 3

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020

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Volume 135 No. 3

scstudentmedia.com // @TheSpfldStudent

What’s it REALLY like to be BLACK at Springfield College?

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HOW AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT IS UNCOVERING THE HARSH REALITY OF BEING BLACK AT SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE -- Page 3 --

The importance of listening to and taking care of your friends. #SuicideAwarenessMonth

An important update as we continue to monitor how COVID-19 affects our campus.

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September 17, 2020

News

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Beginning this week and continuing for the two weeks after, we will be running reminders of policies students should be aware of amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

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September 17, 2020

Equality

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#BlackatSpringfieldCollege The Instagram account with nearly 500 followers that is exposing the truths that need to be heard regarding race at Springfield College.

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

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An account, @ blackatspringfieldcollege, emerged in late August on students’ Instagram pages-- right before their long-awaited homecoming to the Springfield College campus.

Following only a few other accounts like itself from other colleges and universities, @blackatspringfieldcollege had no information in the bio about who was running it, just the words, “A platform for Springfield College’s Black community to be heard.

Shining light on the reality of being Black at Springfield College. DM Submissions.”

Soon, posts began to appear on maroon and white backgrounds.

These posts have ranged from first-person retellings of racist events both experienced and seen on campus by students from all races, to extreme cases of vulgar racist incidents, to outright call-to-action statements made by the account owner and directed at Springfield College itself.

An example of a post made on the Instagram account. Thus far, all but one post has been anonymous. (Photo Courtesy of @blackatspringfieldcollege Instagram)

This account, alongside other newly created and preexisting movements like SEED Club, the Black Student Union, Men of Excellence, Women of Power, and more, is part of the students of Springfield College’s own undocumented plan for change.

In truth, there has been much discussion fueled by Springfield College administration about anti-racism, diversity, inclusion, and #BlackLivesMatter.

This includes the past summers’ Conversations On Race, the upcoming SEAT At The Table events, the establishment of the Campus Programming Planning Committee On Race (CPPCR), several statements from the school following the deaths George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, the introduction and following correction of their theme “Silence is not an option and words without action are not enough,” and the Black Lives Matter flag flying on Naismith Green.

However, some members of the campus community, including the account owner of @blackatspringfieldcollege (who chose to remain anonymous to secure the integrity of their page) feel that not only has Springfield College not made the structural changes the Black students are asking for, Springfield College simply does not hear them.

“Black Lives Matter flag(s) and banner(s) are cool and great symbolic things,” said @blackatspringfieldcollege. “But that doesn’t stop a Black student from being scared to go out on the weekend and hearing racist remarks and the N-word.

That doesn’t stop Black students from feeling uncomfortable and not feel at

home for not having a Black professor or Black counselor or coach to go and talk to. And that doesn’t stop a student from getting profiled by Public Safety.

“I hope this page will get the administration to commit to some structural or tangible change, finally,” @blackatspringfieldcollege continued.

“We want to feel like we belong here and don’t want to have our guard up. Many Black students here get put on the marketing material and shown off by this school, yet the school won’t do anything to make it so Springfield College is a place for everyone. Not just the white students but everyone. There is a lot of talk but not enough action.”

Racism comes in many different forms; more often than not, modern racism, especially on Springfield College’s campus, doesn’t always mean white people shouting racial slurs or resorting to physical violence.

See Black at SC on Page 11

September 17, 2020

News

Never alone

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The topic of suicide is an uncomfortable one, but it needs to be discussed and brought to light, especially now.

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

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uicide is a sensitive, taboo subject most do not like to discuss, and for good reason. According to SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices for Education) and the CDC, 44,965 Americans die each year by suicide.

However, the topic needs to be discussed, especially on college campuses. Of the 44,965 lives lost, approximately 1,100 of them are college students. This makes suicide ranked as college students’ second-leading cause of death.

According to Brian Krylowicz, Director of the Springfield College Counseling Center, approximately 7 percent of the Springfield College student body will seriously consider suicide this year and about 1 percent may actually attempt.

It may be sobering, uncomfortable, or even frightening to see statistics about suicide so casually displayed.

However, facilitating the conversation and taking

away the stigma around suicide are crucial steps in helping the students who need it the most.

“I think so many people have been touched either by completed suicides, or attempted suicides, that I think people take it very seriously,” said Krylowicz.

“Most people who are in this spot don’t want to die, they just want the pain to stop. And so, the way that people can really intervene is when people are hurting… is taking that extra time -- 15 minutes, an hour, a day -- to just let someone know they really care…”

Instead of brushing off friends’ outward actions because of fear of saying the wrong thing or getting into something that will take up a lot of time, students must become advocates for their friends’ emotions. Having someone close just paying enough attention to realize when things aren’t right could be the only reason a student doesn’t take their own life.

However, it can be

The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

hard to tell the difference between a friend just having a bad day versus them having suicidal, depressive thoughts.

Krylowicz explained that if a student has a gut feeling about their friend, they’re probably right since students know their friends in a family-style fashion in college.

“What the students

at the college have over me is if this is your friend, you know what they’re normally like,” Krylowicz said. “Usually, when you get that moment like, ‘This isn’t my normal friend,’... I think what you have is history, so when you know that person is acting totally different… I always tell [students], ‘Listen to your stomach, listen to

the hairs on the back of your neck, listen to your shoulders..’

“I can go off a long list of issues of someone making comments of suicide, or dying, or they wish they weren’t here; you could have it where you have elements where they disconnect from people, I see a lot of times on campus where they want to anger their

#SuicideAwarenessMonth

September 17, 2020 friends because they want them to reject them. Like, ‘Please, I’m so miserable, please go away from me. That way I can maybe do harm to myself.’”

Student Resident Assistants, more commonly known as RA’s, are oftentimes the students who see what really happens within student life itself under a microscope. Because they are uncertified professionals and are simply trained to report, RA’s may not be the best resource for students coping with suicidal thoughts to utilize.

However, an RA is a great person to talk to about the day-to-day physical and mental struggles most students face because they are students first.

Kelsey Prince is a junior in the Health Sciences major. As a second-year RA, Prince stressed from her experience that it was important to check up on the people who might seem the most fine.

“Someone could go to class for like, 50 minutes, and be fine, and go back to their room and be there by themselves… you could never know what’s going on behind that door, and the minute they step out, they could be the happiest person you’ve ever seen,” said Prince.

Olivia Tocchio, a sophomore in the Psychology program and first-year RA in Alumni, said that especially

because of COVID-19, most college students are definitely all in the same boat feeling like outliers.

“This is a time when people are feeling more isolated and this is a time when people are feeling more alone, so it’s definitely a time where there are greater rates of depression and anxiety because [students] never really know what’s going on… “ said Tocchio. “It’s really difficult to know what every day is going to bring, and that definitely increases everyone’s different feelings.”

Though this article is coming during Suicide Prevention Month, it needs to be stressed that suicide is not a topic that deserves just a single month of recognition.

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Suicide prevention needs to happen every day, and both Tocchio and Prince agree.

“I think my biggest thing is that I know September is the month of Suicide Prevention and Awareness, but I think it’s really important to make sure it’s throughout the whole year and not just solely in September that everybody’s checking in with everybody throughout the year,” Prince stated.

“Say we get sent home or whatever, something could flip like that and it’s really important to check in more than just one month.”

Tocchio added, “Especially at this school, we have such a good sense of community, so like checking on peers; if you notice that there’s some-

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body you’re not seeing as often, or someone you have a class with you may not be close with, it’s okay to reach out to them and just be like, ‘Hey, I wanted to check in on you, just making sure you’re okay,’ just little check-ins like that, you never really know what someone’s going through.”

Being “aware” of suicide is easy enough; everyone knows what the cold definition of suicide is and what that entails.

However, being a friend to someone, going that extra step to make sure they know they are a loved and valued person, is all that people struggling with this fight are asking of their peers.

If you know someone who is going through a crisis, do not hesitate to

be there for them and ensure that their issues are taken care of by mental health professionals. As students, we cannot be expected to be the primary source of help for our friends, but we can make sure that they know they are not alone in their battle.

If you are in need of help, know that you truly are not alone. Springfield College students are a group unlike any other in their caring and empathy towards their classmates, and you are an integral part of our community. We love and need you here with us.

Call the Counseling Center at (413) 748-3345 if you or someone you know are in crisis.

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Most people who are in this spot

don’t want to die, they just want the pain to stop. And so, the way that

people can really intervene is when people are hurting… is taking that extra time -- 15 minutes, an hour, a

day -- to just let someone know they

1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK

really care.”

- Brian Krylowicz 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK

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Director of the Springfield College 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-TALK Counseling Center 1-800-273-TALK

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September 17, 2020

News

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SEAT at the Table SEAT at the Table is a week-long initiative coming in October focused on educating the campus community on diversity and inclusion.

By Cait Kemp @caitlinkemp09

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umanics is an integral part of the Springfield College community. Members of the community all know and understand this, and they work towards achieving this common goal together.

It is seen daily in the way individuals say hello as they pass each other on the sidewalks, hold open the doors of Cheney for others, and it’s presented on a larger scale with the service projects students complete.

Springfield College and Humanics are, in many ways, one in the same.

With society showing an immense push this past summer against racism after the murder of George Floyd, matters of racial equality and diversity have now come to the forefront of daily

A look into what the acronym ‘SEAT’ stands for, as well as some of the plans for the sessions coming in October. (Photo Courtesy of Charisse DelVecchio)

life. With its unique Humanics philosophy, Springfield College has the opportunity to weave these ideas of social justice into the work it already does.

Springfield College graduate student Charisse DelVecchio is ahead of the game.

Prior to the sudden increase of movements surrounding equality, DelVecchio, a graduate associate for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, had already thought up the idea for a diversity and inclusion workshop to showcase at Springfield College.

“The idea for SEAT at the Table actually was an idea that I had last year. I was thinking about this idea of Springfield College having the Humanics philosophy and the spirit, mind and body philosophy and how we could take that and include social justice initiatives into that framework that already existed, because

September 17, 2020

it seemed like the one missing piece... and what we could do if we added that lens I thought would be really amazing as an institution,” DelVecchio said.

So what is DelVecchio’s “SEAT at the Table” and what does it mean? Everyone has heard the phrase “take your seat at the table,” so DelVecchio decided to play off of that. She made SEAT into an acronym standing for Social justice, Equity, Accountability, and Transformation, which acts as the four pillars for the program.

The workshop is not designed as a normal conference where students simply listen to a speaker, but as something that allows students to be directly involved within the workshop, having their own discussions and pieces to present.

“I think what people liked about it was the idea is basically to share power, share responsibility in learning… what do we all have a little expertise in and what can we teach each other,” DelVecchio said. “It requires us to all just take our seat at the table and offer what we have to help each other grow.”

SEAT at the Table will be a week-long conference that’ll occur during the final week in October, starting Monday, Oct. 26. It will consist of virtual meetings due to COVID-19, but sessions will be just as engaging and informative.

“A whole week long of different types of workshops, events, performances, dialogues, you name it. They are all just in the interest of social justice learning and community building,” said DelVecchio. “It’s really diverse in what is going to be offered as well, which is really exciting because again, that’s the vision of bringing what you have and helping each other learn.”

Some things that will be seen at SEAT are cultural dance classes, lectures, researchers, theater performances, and film. Community members are encouraged to submit proposals for these workshops to become a part of the event, but others are welcome to attend the classes as well, without having to actively participate in the teaching aspect. It is all about sharing experiences and learning from each other, however one may feel comfortable doing that.

“I think so many people at Springfield Col-

SEAT at the Table

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No matter what career you’re planning to go into, it’s going to be important for you to understand how to work along with people who come from different places than you, who look different than you, who have different experiences than you and this event in so many ways is going to give you the tools to just be better at that in really simple ways.” // Charisse DelVecchio //

lege are in love with Springfield College and this event is going to be an opportunity to really get to know the people around you even better,” DelVecchio said. “No matter what career you’re planning to go into, it’s going to be important for you to understand how to work along with people who come from different places than you, who look different than you, who have different experiences than you and this event in so many ways is going to give you the tools to just be better

at that in really simple ways.”

There are 26 different sessions proposed as of now, and the program is accepting proposals until Sept. 19. If you are interested in giving a proposal to become a presenter, contact Charisse DelVecchio at cdelvecchio2@springfieldcollege.edu. If you are interested in attending the SEAT at the Table conference, keep a look out for the registration form coming in the upcoming weeks.

September 17, 2020

News

Planting C a SEED towards equality

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By Carley Crain @carley_crain12

Springfield Scientists Embracing Equality and Diversity (SEED) is a club on campus that intersects science and inequality and they are hoping to make an impact and start a discussion through weekly meetings.

Meetings occur every Thursday at 8 p.m. over Zoom

ombining their joint interests in science, diversity, and equality, Springfield Scientists Embracing Equality and Diversity (SEED) is a club on campus that aims to educate others about the inequalities in the science community.

Anyone is welcome to join, and weekly zoom meetings are held every Thursday at 8 p.m.

SEED was formed as a club five years ago by a group of young white female students. Over the years, they have been working on diversifying the club and creating an open environment for everyone.

“Our advisor, Dr. Fouler did create SEED with a group of past students that felt like they needed a place to discuss injustices that they saw and they needed a safe environment to discuss it,” said co-president of SEED Danielle Fernandes.

“Our club did start out pretty much as all white women and over the years we have been working on changing that with

many members of our e-board being a part of different ethnicities.”

As a club, SEED focuses on bringing to light social issues within the science and healthcare community.

The club encourages students to use their voice and speak up about issues happening around campus and the world. Due to COVID restrictions, SEED has had to move to virtual meetings over Zoom, but despite this the club still has big goals for this school year.

“Our main focus is to make everyone feel involved and equal,” said Fernandes. “Also, we want to give people a voice on campus and bring things people are not aware of to light.”

With the recent events regarding the Black Lives Matter Movement, one of the main goals for this school year is to actively engage the community and educate others about the injustices in the science and healthcare community, and how minorities are disproportionately affected by these issues.

They plan on doing this by interacting with other clubs and organizations on campus, like the Black Student Union, Seat at the Table, athletic teams, and the president’s leadership team.

“We prioritize working on different environmental issues, social justice, and difficult dialogues,” said vice president Nathalie Beltran. “One of the things we want to work on is diversity around campus and having those difficult conversations with other students. One of the things we embrace is having our members feel welcome no matter where they come from or what background they have so it will be a safe space for them.”

In the past, SEED has worked with children from the Springfield public school system, encouraging them to be a part of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field. SEED members worked with the kids to motivate them and to show that the opportunities to succeed are endless. They hope to continue working with the Springfield

September 17, 2020

public schools during this school year, but with the coronavirus still in full swing, things may look a little different.

Research activities have also been a focus of the club in the past and will continue to be moving forward, specifically focusing on the injustices in the United States healthcare system and how women are disproportionately affected.

SEED has presented these research findings in Boston at a conference with other college students.

This year SEED will continue to work on their campus wide recycling project that they started last semester. The club is still working towards having every building with recycling bins available since some still do not have any at all. SEED also plans on advertising around campus how to recycle, highlighting what can and what cannot be recycled.

SEED organizes their club projects by having different sub committees. By having sub committees, projects are more efficiently planned out and organized. Sub committees change every year depending

SEED

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The official logo for the SEED club. (Photo Courtesy of SEED Instagram account)

on what projects SEED is working on, but anyone can be in charge of one. General members are encouraged to bring up project ideas and then start their own sub committees.

Despite the coronavirus restrictions, SEED still is hosting weekly virtual meetings. Each meeting is focused around one topic that relates to social injustices in the science and healthcare community. For their first meeting of the year they talked about cultural humility and how it can be practiced in the healthcare field, as many SEED club members are aspiring health care providers.

This upcoming Thursday at 8 p.m. on Zoom their central topic of choice is the California wildfires and how they relate to climate change.

The executive board encourages general members to bring up topics to talk about and discuss at each meeting. To go along with their weekly discussions and presentations, SEED is working on having a variety of guest speakers to share their experiences and knowledge in the science and healthcare field.

To join SEED and to stay connected with what they are doing throughout the semester, follow their Instagram page @sc.seed. Anyone is welcome to join at any time.

September 17, 2020

News

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GET the good eats The GET App is a neccessity for students at Springfield College this semester.

By Collin Atwood @collinatwood17

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ccording to an email sent out by the Division of Finance and Administration, all of the food options in the union must now be ordered off of the GET app.

GET is a phone app that allows students to order their food online.

This will help reduce the amount of time spent waiting in line at the Union.

With just a few quick steps, students can have their food ready to go.

The new system also coincides with COVID-19 protocols to promote social distancing and the build up

of large crowds waiting for food to be ready.

“The GET app is fairly simple to use,” said Mason Dumas, a junior at Springfield College majoring in criminal justice.

The process is as simple as hopping on the GET app, picking a restaurant to order from, selecting the specific food, choosing a pick-up time and then going to grab the order in the Union.

After pressing the “start an order” tab, GET allows you to choose from all of the restaurants in the union which includes: Dunkin Donuts, Jasmines,

Roasted, Sazon and Subway.

After choosing a restaurant, the app allows individuals to select a pick-up time based on their schedule and then place their exact order.

The payment process is just as simple. “It has an easy way to add money to your student ID,” said Dumas.

On the home screen, there is a tab labeled “Add funds.” Within that tab there are two more tabs labeled “Payment Method” and “To Account.” From there, students can choose a credit card or debit card

to transfer funds onto their student account. This allows students to pay for their meals with pride dollars.

The app also serves as a way to easily check current pride dollars balance. The first section on the home screen is account balances.

All one has to do is log on and their current balance can be found front and center on the app.

There are also some other interesting features.

GET allows students to check their transaction history. The history goes as far as six months back, so people can always re-

member how much they’ve spent in the current semester and what the money was spent on.

Students may also customize their own homepage to their personal liking.

GET lets students add a profile picture and edit the layout of the homepage.

This new app is designed to keep the Springfield College campus safe and healthy through these unique times. To download the GET app, simply head to the App Store and type in “GET.” After installing, students can begin placing orders instantly.

ANNOUNCEMENT regarding COVID-19 on campus From the period of Aug. 20 to Sept. 11, Springfield College has tested 4,113 individuals for the Coronavirus and two tests have returned positive – a rate of 0.0486 percent positive.

Beginning next week, we will be dedicating a page of our paper to tracking cases and reporting on Coronavirus as it affects the campus. Please stay vigilant and continue to wear your mask.

Equality

September 17, 2020 Black at SC continued from Page 3

Modern racism related to the campus is composed of the “meaningless” jokes tossed around at the Cheney table, internal judgements white students make upon first impressions of newcomer peers, passive-aggressive tones white people use towards BIPOC. It’s composed of actions the English language doesn’t even have names for but they are what they are: racist. @blackatspringfieldcollege has given the students an opportunity to highlight all forms of racism reported to them on campus.

“I think this page shows that racism has many different sizes, shapes, and forms,” @ blackspringfieldcollege said. “From the overt things, like saying or writing the N-word, to more covert things, such as microaggressions, it looks different for everyone, but everyone’s story is necessary nonetheless.”

The account owner also recognizes that their posts may cause retribution from not only Springfield College administration, but some students as well. Yet, @ blackatspringfieldcollege feels that the mission and message are more important than a personal risk.

“My perspective is that if the school or anyone else has pushback against the page, then

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Everyone has a voice, and you can use it and impact everyone for the better, whether at Springfield College or back home… This is not a battle of us vs. other students, but a fight we are all in together.”

@blackatspringfieldcollege

that’s the side they chose to be on [and] so be it,” they stated. “Where it becomes upsetting and annoying is when you say you are against the page [and therefore] the stories on the page, but you’re still posting Black Lives Matter on your Instagram, or the school [is] having and waving a Black Lives Matter flag. Don’t be contradictory, own up to how you feel, hypocrisy is not okay.”

As for the actual content of the page, every post is submitted as a Direct Message on Instagram. The account owner then will copy and paste the message into a graphic design program for the page’s aesthetics and complete a spell-check for accidental typos. Then, the story is posted 100 percent anonymously.

Of the 30 posts on the page thus far, 25 are anonymous recounts of racism associated with Springfield College. These recounts have been submitted by an apparent diverse selection of individuals, especially including alumni and students. Three of the posts have been dedicated by the account owner to statements from themselves to Springfield College administration, and one person who submitted their account of racism actually chose to identify themselves by name and as a 2016 alumni. @blackatspringfieldcollege is appreciative towards all who have supported them in this first month of their account’s existence, and wants to let the Springfield College community know that their account was created not to create rifts or cause issues, but to shed light on both the daily trials and extreme cases of racism Black students have to face.

“I thought people’s voices need to be heard and [to] put these stories out there, so people know what goes on within the arches of Springfield College. Black students just want to be able to enjoy going here and get treated respectfully,” they said.

“I would like to thank you all for your support from all the various members, whether you are white or Black, on campus who continue to send in their stories and share their stories. Thank you for letting me be that amplifier so everyone can hear you. Everyone has a voice, and you can use it and impact everyone for the better, whether at Springfield College or back home… This is not a battle of us vs. other students, but a fight we are all in together.”

Follow @blackatspringfieldcollege on Instagram to read the anonymous stories of being Black on a mostly white campus from the Springfield College community.

September 17, 2020

Sports

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Intramural sports are underway Despite intercollegiate athletic competitions being cancelled, intramural sports are still happening with modifications.

Spike ball is one of the new intramural sports in the COVID-19 age. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications) __ By Jacques St. Jean __ jstjean2@springfieldcollege.edu

With the absence of a fall season for many athletes and a craving for competition after the cancellation of all spring sports last semester, intramural sports are acting as a second life for some of the Pride’s top competitors, and a new

outlet for those looking to have some fun in the dreary world of COVID-19. Not only athletes, but students as well are competing in an array of sports and games in an effort to achieve victory, and win the prestigious t-shirt.

The school is now

offering some new and different intramural sports this semester. A few returning games include soccer, tennis, golf, bowling, and volleyball. COVID has caused some of them to be reduced in team size, and masks must be worn at all times. Some

new and exciting additions to the IMLeagues include golf, corn hole, and spike ball, which the last two appear to be some of the most popular casual yard games on the Springfield campus.

There are currently 14 corn hole teams and nine spike ball teams

registered on the IMLeagues website. There is no doubt that these are some of Springfield’s fan favorites, and we will likely see them return next year.

At the forefront of it all is Thomas Verrico, who is the assistant director of intramural

September 17, 2020

and club sports. Verrico has been with the Pride for 5 years now, and is optimistic about how the intramural season will play out. “All the students are being really super respectful, everybody’s masked up, everybody’s following our guidelines,” said Verrico.

“I think everybody on campus is very willing to want to stay here for the whole semester so they’re really understanding and willing to work with us.”

Unfortunately, some of the typical intramural seasons such as basketball and flag football were cancelled due to the pandemic.

Verrico, along with many other intramural athletes, hope for these to make a return in the spring. “It depends how loose the guidelines will become,” he explains.

“I’d love to play basketball again, I’d love to offer flag football again, and some of our signature events like glowin-the-dark dodgeball… some of those I’d really like to get back to but who knows?”

With the replacement of basketball and flag football with corn hole and spike ball, the fall intramural season is certainly one to watch if possible. One student who is participating in both of these hot and

new events is senior Carlin Fernandez. Fernandez is also a staple on the men’s lacrosse team as a defensive midfielder. His season, along with many other spring athletes, was cancelled. Now, Fernandez is eager to compete once again in a handful of the intramural sports leagues. “Soccer 7v7 on the turf, corn hole with Alex DeVito, spike ball with Nick Coman... you got to compete in whatever way you can, honestly, like the spike ball tournament this past weekend? That was a dub.”

Fernandez, along with his partner Coman, won the spike ball tournament held by the Springfield College CAB this past weekend.

“Got a free spike ball set, pretty sweet, and a t-shirt,” Fernandez said.

While the fall athletic teams will not have a season, there will still be a season among our own athletes and students in intramural sports. In order to play safely, precautionary measures are being taken to limit the chance of spread and exposure to COVID-19. The number of players on the field in soccer has been reduced, as well as on the court in volleyball, and spectators are limited and/ or not allowed based

Sports

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(Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications)

on the sport. “Got to wear a mask of course, at all times,” Fernandez said. “Not allowed to do throw-ins… and then they also said no head-balls which I think is going to be kind of difficult because you know if it’s up there… but they said it’s going to be a yellow card if you do it which I think is slightly egregious but we’ll see what happens tonight.”

Another student who captured a victory in intramural sports this past week was junior Hale Thomas. “It was awesome,” Thomas said. “They’re doing 4v4 this semester… it went really well.” The 4v4 volleyball season

began this past Tuesday, where Thomas’s team “Sets on the Beach,” overcame “Chewblocka” in the third set. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, Thomas has a great appreciation for intramural sports at Springfield. “It’s just the best way to be competitive and have fun; not have the full commitment of being on a team… just a light way to get your energy out,” Thomas explained. “The competitive spirit of the school just makes intramurals that much more interesting and fun to be a part of.” While Thomas is excited to be back and playing with his friends, he is bummed that no spectators are

allowed at some events.

“If there was a way to make that safe I think that would be potentially a good idea. I think if we could do outdoor volleyball… there could be more space available for spectators.”

Thomas most certainly speaks for the majority of campus, as the general student population and the faculty and staff are very much deprived of the fall sporting event atmosphere that gets everyone buzzing.

For more information on intramural sports, schedules, rosters, and results, be sure to head over to imleagues.com.

September 17, 2020

Sports

PAGE 14

Potter Field under construction

The home of Springfield College softball is the next facility to enjoy a turf surface. Construction is expected to finish in the winter, with the ribbon cutting in the spring. ___ By Chris Gionta ___ @Chris_Gionta

For the 2021 spring season, the Springfield softball team will be playing their home games on artificial turf rather than traditional dirt and grass.

Artificial turf installation has been a trend throughout collegiate athletics, especially in the northeast.

“When we practice now, when we start (in the fall), we can be on our field,” said Springfield softball head coach Kate Bowen.

“Before, we were on the soccer field, and you look over at baseball being on their field, and we’re like, ‘it’s just such a great advantage.’”

Anyone who has been involved with baseball or softball in the northeast knows the headache that comes with playing in March and April. It is not only the miserable weather, but also the difficult management of the field, as they dry very slowly during these months.

With artificial turf being installed at Potter Field, the Springfield softball team will not have to worry about that any longer.

“Let’s say it was raining

(Danielle Schmelling/The Student)

a little bit in the morning, and we were going to play at Emerson, I knew we were getting the games in,” said Coach Bowen.

“Whereas, sometimes the night before the game, I’m like, ‘it says it’s going to start raining at 9, it’s going to be heavy rain, maybe thunderstorms.’”

Then, she explained the players’ role in maintaining the field. “We would have to think, ‘are we putting the tarp on at 6 AM? How many girls can we get at 6 AM, or maybe 7?’

So, a lot goes into those decisions, whereas now, we never have to think about tarping the field.”

It should be a relief for the players that they will not have to also be a member of the grounds crew

anymore.

Being on the field early will not only be beneficial for convenience, but also an advantage over the competition.

“We should know everything about our field, how it hops, the fencing, passed balls, how a ball can ricochet,” explained Coach Bowen. “So I think it’s really just going to give us this great advantage being on the field so early.”

Getting on the field in February can also translate to success in March for Springfield. Now, they will be able to start their regular season quicker, and likely on their home field, which Coach Bowen plans to take full advantage of.

“I’m hoping, just like

baseball, we can play games before leaving for Florida,” said Bowen. “I know we’re in this interesting era, but our first game scheduled is March 6th, I believe. And we’ve never played, really, before leaving for Florida. So I’m trying to make that kind of follow what baseball has done, and play earlier so our first games aren’t actually in Florida; they’re on our field.”

The turf will not only change when the Pride play, but also possibly how they will play. The installation of the turf will bring a more rapid style of play for Springfield and their opponents.

“I definitely think one of the biggest changes will be that it’s faster,” Coach

Bowen said. “So I think that is going to be an adjustment, but I think that is really only going to take a couple weeks for us to make that adjustment.”

It is a historic mark in the softball program’s history. The installation of artificial turf at Potter Field will give them, perhaps, an extra month of preparation on their field every year. It also removes the hassle of tarping a field, postponing games due to snow, or rain that didn’t happen that day. It is safe to say that the excitement within the Springfield softball community is not just limited to Coach Bowen.

September 17, 2020

Athletes react to missing out on their fall season

Sports

PAGE 15

Springfield field hockey goalie Elizabeth Morehouse reaches for a ball at practice last week.

(Jack Margaros/Springfield College Athletics)

___ By Michael Manning ___ mmanning5@springfieldcollege.edu

As week three commences at Springfield College, athletes have opened up about the struggles that come with this semester’s heavy restrictions.

Students reflected on their teams preparation and attitude before the official cancellation of the fall season. Many of which shared similar answers.

Junior Jack Costa discussed that the men’s soccer team, “Had multiple plans going into the season.” “We had a feeling that the season would be cancelled, but tried to stay optimistic through it,” said Jack Costa, a junior and member of the men’s soccer team.

Senior Elizabeth Morehouse also shared that, “Going into the summer we had high hopes for the season. We were practicing and playing like usual, and the coaches did everything possible to keep us

prepared.”

Upon the news that the season would not be played, student-athlete’s admitted varying emotions followed. Costa emphasized that the mental health of the students would be affected because of the season’s implications. He described athletics as an “escape” for students on campus.

Morehouse explained that a semester without a traditional season will be “mentally tough” for all of her teammates.

Both Costa and Morehouse explained that intense competition will be something they will be without this semester. Costa specifically explained that the conference games would be a competition he will miss most. He explained that they brought the best out of everyone on the team.

“Win or lose they were the most intense games.”

Costa added.

Little things will be missed the most for Morehouse. “There were weeks where we (the team) were together for all seven days,” she said. Something that will no longer be happening due to the social distancing guidelines.

Adrenaline rushes before games, bus rides, lunches with the team, and practices were also things she will miss during the fall.

The impact COVID-19 has had on the athletes hits no one harder than the seniors. With the current state, some will never step on the field for game day again. Morehouse explained that her first step back on the field was the toughest one she’s ever taken.

“Getting back on the field was the moment when it all hit me really. I would not be able to come back and finish my fourth year so it was difficult

to process,” Morehouse described.

While the seniors have been left without a final season, Costa explained that they have been the most influential during this time.

“Seniors have told us to make most of what they have, they still continue to push us teammates to workout and practice on our own,” he said.

Starting Sept. 14, teams will be able to start practicing again together in small groups. Something Costa and his teammates can’t wait for.

For spring athletes, they too are overwhelmed with the same uncertainty as the fall athletes. While they have no indication on what the spring season will look like, the restrictions and guidelines are influencing them greatly in order to do their part in making the season happen.

Freshman Dimitri San-

chez talked about the role that the guidelines and seniors have had on him and his teammates.

“As a team we want them to see them have their senior season. They’ve told us to go on parties or large gatherings to keep their wish for a final season intact.” Said Sanchez.

Sanchez explained that the lacrosse team has been preparing for the spring season as if they are to be playing. He expressed the high accountability he and his teammates hold each other in order to meet the needs for their season.

Though many of the athletes have lost their season, the culture they have built remains strong.

All of the athletes explained that they will be there for each other through the difficult times and will continue to push on another to get better and stay safe.

SPORTS The Springfield Student

VOL. 135 NO. 3

*Masked* Practice

(Jack Margaros/Springfield College Athletics)

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020