Volume 135 No 2

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Volume 135 No. 2

scstudentmedia.com // @TheSpfldStudent

ONE WEEK DOWN, HOW MANY MORE TO GO? THROUGH ALMOST TWO WEEKS ON CAMPUS, COVID CASES REMAIN LOW. STILL, THE WORK TO KEEP THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY SAFE IS FAR FROM OVER.

-- Page 3 --

content

additional

Photo Courtesy of Danny Priest/The Student

Springfield College’s new Director of Non-Discrimination/Title IX - Page New: The Black Student Union - Page

5

6

New: The Campus Program Planning Committee on Race (CPPCR) - Page

9

September 10, 2020

News

- REMEMBER -

If you feel sick, do not go to class. Reach the health center at: (1)-413-748-3175 Their number is posted at the top of every other news page.

PAGE 2

September 10, 2020

(1)-413-748-3175

PAGE 3

Initial testing results

COVID cases on campus remain low, but the community must continue to do their part.

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

W

ith the first round of mass COVID-19 testing finished and only one positive case was discovered out of over two thousand tests, Springfield College students may have felt a little more relaxed as they settle into their new world of hybrid class learning.

In order to keep the numbers low, though, students cannot get too comfortable and stop following the rules as they have been thus far.

Assistant Director of Campus Recreation, Alcohol & Other Drug Education and Health Promotion Christine Johnston stated that she thought the Springfield College community has been doing a great job following social distancing guidelines for the past several days on campus.

“I think, in general, everybody’s doing a really good job… we can’t get lax, and that’s really important that we don’t give up on all of the hard work that we’ve been doing,” said Johnston.

“We have to keep doing it through the rest of the semester… The best thing that I can say is I know our students, they live our

mission [and] they know our mission. If we can continue to live our mission about serving others, all of the hard work we’re doing in terms of physical distancing, wearing masks, getting tested, all that stuff is really about serving others.”

Unfortunately, not all colleges and universities are as lucky as Springfield.

Numerous schools have had to send their students home across the country due to spikes in COVID-19 cases on their campuses, and Springfield College students certainly want to stay on campus.

“I think [how long we stay] is going to depend on what everybody does,” stated Johnston. “Small choices affect the entire community, it doesn’t take much for a few people to basically screw it up for the rest of us. I do think we have a better chance than other institutions because of the fact that our students are living the mission… I just think that if we all don’t do what we’re supposed to do, then nobody makes it to the end of November.”

As for another round of mass coronavirus testing, similar to the testing students participated in upon arrival to campus, it can be

Students will continue to be tested at the Health Center bi-weekly for the remainder of the semester. (Photo Courtesy of Joe Arruda/The Student) expected that testing will occur so commonly, it will become a part of regular college life.

Fall student athletes will be tested every week, abiding by NCAA regulations, and fifty percent of the entire student body will be tested every other week for the rest of the semester.

“Students will be receiving information about the next round of testing within the next couple of days…. We’re going to be doing a lot of testing, and students are going to be assigned which week, but then we’re going to be asking students their day and their time slot so that they can choose times that work with their academic schedule,” said Johnston.

It’s not as if the singular positive case on campus

will be the only positive case Springfield College sees; the students are a constantly-moving population that filters on and off campus every day.

The Health Center expects the number of cases to rise soon, but it is believed that if students stay away from large groups, follow six-feet-apart social distancing guidelines, and wear their masks properly, the effects will not be drastic enough to send the students home.

“We ask everybody to be vigilant, not only about themselves and their own choices and behaviors, and do everything to reduce their own risk, but we also all have the ability to talk to the rest of the campus community,” concluded Johnston. “If students see

a fellow student without their mask on, or wearing their mask below their nose, [they should] feel like they have the authority to say, ‘Hey, put your mask on!’ or ‘Hey, pull your mask up!’ because it really is going to take everyone on campus to stay for the semester.”

The “Weekly Dashboard of Test Cases Conducted at Springfield College” stating the amount of positive cases on campus (along with the amount of tests administered and more), can be found on the Springfield College official website by clicking on the green banner at the top of the screen, along with much more information regarding the coronavirus.

September 10, 2020

News

A magical welcome

PAGE 4

CAB did not let the coronavirus stop them from putting together an enjoyable welcome week for students.

By Carley Crain @carley_crain12

T

his year’s welcome week definitely brought upon more challenges due to the coronavirus, but the Campus Activities Board (CAB) made sure it was still an enjoyable week.

This year’s theme was Disney and every night an activity was centered around Disney characters and movies.

“One challenge we faced was limiting students to our events to follow the CDC guidelines for Massachusetts,’’ said Gianna Salce, co-chair of membership for CAB. “It was really unfortunate that we had to cap some events at fifty students total.”

Monday started off with breakfast at the Union. CAB had an assortment of breakfast food available as a grab and go style before morning classes. Students were able to enjoy their choice of omelets while listening to a variety of Disney songs. CAB also passed out t-shirts and fridge magnets with their theme for the week: “Springfield College: Where dreams come true.”

Continuing the magic, Tuesday night was the Springfield ever after light show with cupcakes from

Students still enjoyed the events put on by CAB while wearing their masks. (Photo Courtesy of Carley Crain/The Student) Nora Cupcake Truck. All cupcake flavors were based off of Disney movies.

The Frozen themed cupcake was a fan favorite, as it was a vanilla cake with blue and white frosting, symbolizing the character of Elsa.

While munching on cupcakes, students gathered on the admin green to sing along to Disney tunes as well as watch bright and colorful lights that represented the fireworks from Walt Disney World.

“Personally, I loved the light show and cupcake truck event,” Salce said. “I just loved the vibe of hanging out with friends, listening to our favorite Disney songs while enjoying a very yummy cupcake!”

One of CAB’S most popular events, Bingo, was held over zoom on Wednesday night.

Students were able to compete against each other to win some free money, while listening to a playlist of Disney songs.

Continuing their weekly thrifty Thursday, CAB hosted Fillmore’s Funky Tie-Dye on Thursday night at the Union. Students bleach tie-dyed pillow cases and t-shirts, or they could bring their own clothing to tie-dye.

CAB set up socially distant stations so everyone had a safe and healthy way to tiedye. President Cooper also made an appearance with first dog Jack and was greeting and

welcoming students.

“The most popular event of the week was bleach tie-dye,” Salce said.

“Due to quarantine, regular tie-dye was sold out completely everywhere we looked, so we adapted the best we could and it turned out to be a huge hit.”

On Friday night, students enjoyed a socially distant movie on the admin green while snacking on candy, popcorn, and smoothies. The movie of choice was Tangled and many students brought chairs or blankets to sit on as they watched the movie.

The last day of festivities was a Disney themed scavenger hunt on Saturday afternoon. Students paired up in groups of four and were tasked with the challenge to find all of the hidden triangles around campus. All winning teams received gift cards as a prize.

Welcome Week was nothing short of magical, despite COVID-19 restrictions. To stay up to date with CAB’s events for the rest of the school year follow their Instagram: @ scpridecab

September 10, 2020

A new face

Erin Leeper, Springfield College’s newest Director of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/ Title IX Coordinator is here to help students any way they need.

(1)-413-748-3175

PAGE 5

Erin Leeper. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College)

By Cait Kemp @caitlinkemp09

T

he 20202021 school year has already brought along many changes.

Some have been easy, such as the introduction of Harvest Table at Cheney Dining Hall, while others have been hard, especially surrounding the topic of COVID-19.

However, a new positive change to add to the list is the welcoming of a new staff member, Erin Leeper.

Leeper is joining the staff as the new Director of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/Title IX Administrator & 504 Coordinator.

Leeper completed her Master’s Degree in 2011 here at Springfield College.

During her time on Alden Street, Leeper had the opportunity to work in the Department of Student Affairs, focused on student conduct.

“That really began my interest in working in the student conduct field and I

had the opportunity to do that at a couple of different universities and colleges,” Leeper said.

Those schools included Syracuse University, Skidmore College, and most recently Westfield State University, where Leeper served as a full-time Title IX investigator.

“Because of that work and because of the changing landscape of the work around Title IX and sexual violence response, I had the opportunity to become a Title IX investigator early and decided that was a career path I really wanted to follow through on,” she said.

Following her time at Westfield State, she was hired by Springfield College to hold an administrative position within the Title IX Department. Instead of being the investigator, Leeper will now work with the investigators and decision-makers trained on campus to navigate any

incidents reported. She also stresses the importance of informing students on what the office can do for them.

“This office is tasked with the responsibility for compliance with Title IX, which is a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs,” Leeper said. “Part of that is making sure we are doing training and educating, so students understand what their rights are under that federal law.”

As a new staff member within the department, Leeper is excited to bring new skills to the table by informing the community about what it is they do.

“I think it’s really important that this work sort of centers around Springfield’s mission and really focusing in on that Humanics in action and leaning into how we are all here to take care of others.

That includes being active bystanders, making sure

we’re treating folks with respect and helping people out in the aftermath of an incident,” said Leeper.

Leeper is eager to begin work with the community here at Springfield despite challenges doing so with COVID-19. She wants to still be able to hold informational meetings with students and different student groups in order to help others understand the office and what it can provide them.

“This year certainly will come with its challenges of not being able to do a lot of in person events, but hopefully we can get some good engagement through virtual programs,” she said.

“Maybe doing some zoom trainings and other things via virtual means would be great, and help me get to know the student body.

“What we want is to really empower our students to be able to take on some of the work and responsibility to help keep

each other safe so in the end, you can have an enjoyable experience,” Leeper said.

The importance of being informed is what Leeper is focusing on coming into her first year in this position. Knowing what resources are available can make a big difference in the event that something does happen or things go wrong.

Leeper said, “I think a major part of this job is just making sure that students have those tools to be able to help each other out in a bad situation, or if a situation looks like it could be going in a bad direction.”

The Title IX Department is an incredible resource for students to be able to seek justice when forced into unwanted situations. Leeper is passionate about her job, and she’s here to help the Springfield College community with whatever they may need.

September 10, 2020

News

PAGE 6

Introducing: The Black Student Union The newly formed Black Student Union is here to be the safe space for BIPOC students on campus that the college has long talked about having.

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

F

or all of its programs, conversations, and talk of diversity and inclusion on campus, Springfield College has been missing an integral part of its journey to anti-racism: providing students with a place where they feel comfortable to express themselves and experiences they have had as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).

This year, Senior Suraji Omoru has set out to do just that - create a club, welcome to any student of any color (including non-BIPOC), that supports students emotionally, academically, socially, and most importantly, promotes Black Excellence. This club is more commonly known as a Black Student Union.

The idea of a Black Student Union is not new. Colleges, universities, and even elementary

and secondary education schools across the country have had the organization already in place for decades.

However, Springfield College is the last school in the area to have an official Black Student Union club, and Omoru is more than excited to begin the work the campus is in dire need of.

“I just really want the Springfield College community to know that as students, with the Black Student Union on campus, our aim is to push for people to feel safe, people to feel supported,” said Omoru.

“Not only that, but as students we have to step up and do the same… what the Black Student Union is aiming to do is make it feel like we’re one big family, and that’s something that a lot of students of color haven’t felt over the years.

They’ve felt kind of... not exiled, but just separate,

in terms of emotions and physically, and that’s something we are pushing for along with tangible change.”

However, the Black Student Union will not

only be a safe-haven for all; they have a list of initiatives to accomplish as a club to further their mission. These initiatives will include topics related to struggles

Black people must face every single day of their life; specifically, Omoru stated, struggles with both Public Safety and the modern-day healthcare system.

Suraji Omoru is a senior at Springfield College and the President of the Black Student Union. (Photo Courtesy of Suraji Omoru)

(1)-413-748-3175

September 10, 2020 “We’re focusing on our Public Safety initiative, which is Public Safety reform, including sensitivity trainings, things on implicit bias, and not only that but introducing times when students and Public Safety can sit down together [as a way to] develop a way better relationship,” said Omoru. “Not only that, but we want to do things to address inequity within healthcare since we’re such a big healthcare school and have so many PT, PA’s and OT’s… bring them in and show them what it’s like in healthcare from a Black or POC’s standpoint.”

As stated before, students can be of any race to join the Black Student Union. Omoru stressed that BSU is looking for support from “every walk of life” in order to create real change. By allowing students from all races to join, BSU is inviting every Springfield College student to fight for the change they want to see on campus and in the world.

The Black Student Union also comes at a time that is reflective of today’s society. The Black Lives Matter movement is driven by a need for anti-racism and equality woven into every part of life. Omoru said that he hopes BSU at Springfield College will have similar connotations and effects.

Omoru stated, “Our club really wants to push for change on campus

PAGE 7

“

I just really want the Springfield College community to know that as students, with the Black Student Union on campus, our aim is to push for people to feel safe, people to feel supported,” - Suraji Omoru President of the Black Student Union

but not only change in the eyes of people and what people see that we’re doing, but really behind the doors-- behind-door change is what we want. We want people to go home and actually feel that they’re living ethically right, actually know that they’re doing ethically right things to promote change in society.

“We see so many wrong things that are being done, so many wrongdoings in terms of police activity, police brutality, things of that nature- it starts at home, and that’s what we really want to target and what

we want to change and I feel like we can.”

As far as what meetings will actually contain, Omoru said that each session will be a discussion and planning time for programs, events, etc. that the club wants to pursue. It will also be an opportunity for BIPOC students to talk about what’s bothering them right now and what the concrete fix will be.

“The meetings will always be talking about different initiatives we’re going through, different committees we’re going to have for people to be on in terms of Public

Safety reform, whether we’re talking about inequity within healthcare, how climate change can affect marginalized groups… We’ll be having all different events and placing people into separate groups to be able to help and support at these events,” said Omoru.

“We’ll also be going through what it’s like every single week for each individual member or how they’re dealing with stressors, because being a Black student in everyday life can also be very tough, so something we want to do is destress people and give them

a place to feel like they can be themselves. On a campus where it can be predominantly white, a lot of the time as a Black individual, it can be hard to just be yourself,” added Omoru.

Meetings for the Black Student Union will be held over Zoom every Monday at 8 p.m.

The links to meetings can be found on the BSU Instagram page, @ bsuatsc, along with more important information about the club and a full staff lineup. Every Springfield College student is welcome to join.

September 10, 2020

News

PAGE 8

September 10, 2020

(1)-413-748-3175

PAGE 9

What is the CPPCR? Springfield College’s brand new committee is here to better the campus.

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

I

t’s no secret that Springfield College attempts to have diversity and inclusion for everyone on its campus. However, many have felt and voiced their opinion that this is simply not the case. As Vice President for Inclusion and Community Engagement Dr. Calvin Hill stated in his email alongside President Mary-Beth Cooper, “It is past time for us to act, but act we must.”

Following that sentiment, the new Campus Program Planning Committee on Race was established with Dr. Hill heading it up. Though there are 17 initiatives outlined in detail in the aforementioned email, Hill stated that CPPCR’s overarching initiative was to make the campus a better place for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students.

“We understand that students that are exposed to diversity, students that speak about it and hear about it, both the majority students as well as BIPOC students alike, are going to be more likely to live in an inclusive and welcoming community, because these

are things they are processing and thinking about.

“My hope, as a committee, we’re going to be able to introduce the community to areas we know that we need to be having a conversation on, areas of our country we know we need to be having a conversation on, and we can’t shy away from those difficult conversations. If we want our students to be better, if we want our students to understand the value of diversity and inclusion, it can’t be something that we don’t speak about,” added Hill.

The committee, born in the timeline of BLM, recognizes that in the admission of students to Springfield College from a diverse array of backgrounds, there is also an admission for the potential of dissent among groups.

“We’re bringing students in, from New England primarily, that have not had an opportunity because of their segregated communities to interact in dialogue cross-culturally,” stated Hill.

“The reality for us is that when you bring people in from diverse backgrounds (socio-economically, spiritually, orientation-wise) tension is

going to happen. So, what we want to talk about is how we engage, how we deal with tensions, understanding that tension is inevitable.”

Hill went on to explain that the committee also hopes to explore options within the classroom in forms of seminars and even an “Anti-Racism Class”. He believes that if students are exposed to issues that concern diversity and inclusion educationally, they are more apt to create that type of community around themselves.

CPPCR will also be working in tandem with the initiatives brought forth in 2017 by the Division for Inclusion and Community Engagement in regard to retention and admission rates of BIPOC. Hill said that because of the nationwide involvement over the past few months concerning the Black Lives Matter movement, more people are going to be interested in helping. This will prove to be helpful in furthering the Campus Inclusion Plan from 2017 that has since lost its momentum.

“When I came to campus in 2015, I think it was during a time period where people were really excit-

ed, people were excited that this new position was here,” said Hill.

“But then, we start to see kind of a lull, a lot of the programs and a lot of the things that I had put on, they had had a lot of attendance and then we see the attendance kind of slow until it became kind of normal that we were doing these things. But now, you know the attention is going to be back focused.”

The Campus Program Planning Committee on Race is yet another step Springfield College has taken in the right direction on the road to anti-racism.

As always, there is more work to be done, but the programs and conversations that will ensue because of CPPCR will be an invaluable experience for the community.

Vice President of Inclusion and Community Engagement, Calvin Hill. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College)

September 10, 2020

News

NSO at a distance

PAGE 10

Coronavirus and masks did not stop the NSO leaders from putting on a good event for the first-year and transfer students.

By Collin Atwood @collinatwood17

W

hen someone looks in at Springfield College from the outside, they immediately notice two things: Springfield College is the birthplace of basketball and spirit, mind and body are very important to the school’s philosophy.

It’s when people get

on campus they realize that there is something else just as important to the school when you become a part of the campus community.

That something is tradition.

Dating all the way back to 1885 when the school was founded, Springfield College has been known for its traditions. From freshman

beanies to midnight bingo, the college has been committed to upholding the standard of their traditions.

Even not walking across the grass is a written tradition at the college which symbolizes not cutting corners in school or in life.

The one that stands above the rest at Springfield College is New Stu-

dent Orientation (NSO).

NSO is held the weekend before classes start and is meant to help the freshman and transfer students get to know the school’s policies, guidelines and most importantly, each other.

“It was a great transition from high school,” said Skylar Steele, a sophomore at Springfield College.

NSO is very important in showing the new students what Springfield College is all about.

Students learn a lot over that weekend. They are shown how valuable the Humanics philosophy is and how to truly embody the spirit, mind and body.

“It’s just a great way to be a part of Springfield College and we

This year’s NSO leaders gave their best effort to make students comfortable despite the restrictions in place. (Photo Courtesy of Collin Awtwood/The Student)

September 10, 2020 always try to infiltrate what it means to be a student here,” said NSO leader Hannah Barnes, a junior at Springfield College majoring in Occupational Therapy.

NSO has its own traditions within itself that students and leaders always look forward to.

Some of the more popular ones are the banquet, learning the college’s chants and participating in the Humanics in action day.

This year NSO weekend took place from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 outbreak caused some difficulties that the new students had to adjust to.

“It was weird... obviously we’re not used to having to do anything like this in our lives,” said Jack Jeffrey, a freshman at Springfield College studying Communications and Sports Journalism.

No one at the beginning of the year would have thought that during NSO everyone would have to meet their future lifetime friends without seeing half of their face.

“You don’t really get to see the people you’re meeting or see the people you’re talking to,” said Madison Daly, a freshman on the women’s soccer team.

“Everyone just looks the same because everyone just has a mask on,” she added.

There were also some events that the new students had to miss out on this year. The

(1)-413-748-3175

PAGE 11

Despite coronavirus restrictions, first-year students and transfers still got to spend quality time with their NSO groups.

(Photo Courtesy of Collin Atwood/The Student)

hypnotist, movie night, banquet and the Humanics in action day were all cancelled this year.

Even though there were many changes to the normal NSO schedule, the new students of Springfield College still got to have an unforgettable experience.

“It didn’t feel a whole heck of a lot different,” said Lydia Sinkiewicz, a senior at Springfield College who has been an NSO leader for three years. “All of the incoming first years were able to still have a very sim-

ilar experience to what a typical NSO would be like,” she added.

Normal NSO rituals still happened, just with some modifications.

Usually every group has different students from all different dorms. This year the groups were filled with people that were on the same floor.

The problem with this is that it stops students from being able to venture out to other buildings to make new friends. On the plus side, it helps them grow closer to the people who

they will share a floor with for a whole semester.

Most activities had to be done with social distancing rules, but that doesn’t diminish the value of them. Some activities that are vital when getting to know each other, like fear in a hat and circle of support, still happened and had just as much of an impact as they did any other year.

“Despite all of the crazy changes, it honestly was my best orientation experience ever,”

Sinkiewicz said.

The goal of NSO was still the same this year and that goal was achieved through adversity. The new students were able to meet new people, make everlasting bonds and truly see what it means to be a member of the Springfield College community.

“This is probably going to be one of the most memorable NSO weekends in Springfield College history,” Barnes said.

September 10, 2020

Sports

PAGE 12

Arruda: I am lost and I’m not even an athlete A sports-less campus effects more than just the student-athletes and coaches themselves.

___ By Joe Arruda ___ @joearruda9

When Springfield College announced that there were not going to be any intercollegiate athletic competitions this fall, I was devastated.

I shared the news on Twitter as I helped set up a graduation party for one of my good friends who was unable to walk the stage in a typical graduation ceremony. While taping down table cloths and hanging decorations, all I could think about was what this semester would look like.

Before being sent home early in the spring semester, I was busier than I’d ever been. It was my first semester as the “Sports Editor” for The Springfield Student and I was simultaneous-

ly completing my first internship as a high school sports reporter for The Daily Hampshire Gazette.

The semester started off in Blake Arena with the grind of covering Hoophall, and ended on the same hardwood covering the “Birthplace Boys” run in the NCAA tournament.

I had no free time on my hands, but it was just the way I wanted it.

Live sports were such a major part of my college life – their schedules determined mine.

Being back on campus without them, well, it is clear that not only my life has been affected.

The whole campus vibe is off. Maybe it’s not just about the sports – the fact that you can’t see anyone’s face walking around campus might have something

to do with it – but without that structure I am lost.

I am lost, and I’m not even an athlete – I couldn’t even start to imagine what it would be like missing out on a senior season.

There is a certain toll that this pandemic has taken on all of us.

The sudden flip of the switch that put a pause on all of our lives, directly forcing us into a mental terrain that has never been discovered.

Finding ways to adapt to the new environment, the masks and the rectangular “Zoom” screens, is the only way we can make it out.

Obviously, it makes sense why we don’t have sports. I am not ignoring or downplaying the risks of the pandemic in any sense.

Running a sports

Joe Arruda interviews Sidney Moncrief at the 2019 National Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement. (Photo by Cam Smith)

section without any live sports will be tough, and it already has been.

I am tired already of having every story have to do with the fact that things are different – that something is missing.

But it is a new challenge. An opportunity to take it slow and to learn while still providing quality sports content for our readership.

Just because there aren’t intercollegiate sports competitions on campus doesn’t mean that there aren’t still stories. Everyone has a story that is waiting to be told, and I am here to share them.

So while I was looking forward to taking over the football beat this fall, I am still excited for the challenge of digging deeper and finding something behind the

masks.

Almost one-third of the Springfield College student body are student-athletes (31 percent, according to the College’s website), and not only that one third are missing sports.

I think about how many people came out and packed Blake when the men’s basketball team played against Hobart in the NCAA tournament, or how many were there to watch the men’s volleyball team earn their revenge against No. 1 SUNY New Paltz.

It is sadness.

It is devastation.

But it is a time to discover new terrain.

September 10, 2020

Sports

PAGE 13

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

Cashwell-Doe: It felt like a living hell After working as a nurse and contracting the coronavirus, Springfield football’s Isaiah Cashwell-Doe was forced into isolation in his home.

__ By Isaiah Cashwell-Doe __ @isdoe_6

My name is Isaiah Cashwell-Doe and I am a rising junior as well as a member of the football team at Springfield College.

When I was asked about being sent home due to the Coronavirus, I feel like it brought back a certain type of PTSD for me. I am the type of person who excels best when around people, so having to stay home trapped in my room brought back my depression and anxiety really bad.

To a point, I truly didn’t know how to control the emotions, and I haven’t felt like that since junior year in high school when I was having suicidal thoughts. But then, an opportunity to become a nurse during quarantine came knocking at my

door… I could not deny that opportunity.

Having the ability to socialize again with people other than my family, and having the opportunity to help people, felt amazing.

Unfortunately, within two weeks of working as a nurse, I had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Getting that phone call from the hospital and them saying “Isaiah Cashwell-Doe, you have tested positive for the coronavirus”... it felt like the world stopped, the first time in my life where I had been speechless.

And all over again, I was stuck in my room – the only place I could go was the bathroom. My parents fed me from the door, and the only way to communicate was through a cell

(Danielle Schmelling/The Student)

phone.

For an extrovert, it felt like a living hell. Ten days later I felt free. I was able to attend work again and do what I love best, putting smiles on people’s faces. Now, being a nurse

through this time… it might have been the hardest thing I think I have gone through emotionally.

Every day a patient would pass away and the more I was there, the more it hurt me seeing my

patients pass and the families not even having the opportunity to see them.

That being said, these past few months have been extremely stressful, but it has made me grow. I had the opportunity through it all to learn how to truly love myself, even with the flaws in my life. Mentally I feel stronger than ever.

Coming back to school I honestly feel the best I ever have mentally. Then, for this semester, this is a great opportunity for me to grow even more.

This is a time for me, along with other members of Springfield College, to find out what we are truly passionate about. Lastly, a chance to excel in school, with sports being canceled for the semester this a big time for the school to put 110 percent into learning.

September 10, 2020

Sports

PAGE 14

Athletes without sports

___ By Tyler Browne ___ @T_Browne1124

In a typical fall semester, the first week on campus would end with the first football game of the year.

Students would pack the bleachers of Stagg Field to watch the Pride begin another campaign.

Throughout the week, the other fall sports teams would begin their seasons as well. From mid-afternoon through early evening, students could walk down the sidewalk on Alden Street and hear the cheers coming from Stagg, Brock-Affleck Field and Blake Arena.

However, this is the fall of 2020, where nothing is normal. On July 17, Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper and Director of Athletics Craig Poisson made the difficult decision to cancel intercollegiate athletics for the fall semester, out of concern for the health of students and coaches amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For the athletes who make up these teams, this announcement was expected but met with disappointment.

For Heather Fontaine, this disappointment began in March, when Dr. Cooper first announced that the College would be moving to remote learning.

“When school first went remote back in March,

Left to right: Heather Fontaine, Hunter Belzo and Camryn Bancroft. (Photos Courtesy of Springfield Athletics)

I was very disappointed that we would not have a spring track season. I did feel very confident that we would be able to compete come fall season, obviously not knowing at the time how the virus was going to take its course,” said Fontaine, who is also a member of the cross-country team.

“I really started to wonder if we would be able to compete this fall when Governor Baker began reopening the state of Massachusetts. As we were going through the phases [of reopening], it seemed like it was moving slower than what people had originally assumed - again not fully understanding the virus’s course of action,” said Fontaine.

While administration made it clear that they were working to find ways to allow for students to return to campus in September, there was no official word on athletics until an email was sent out in mid-July from Cooper and Poisson, explaining the

decision to cancel the fall season.

By the time of the announcement, some athletes had already begun to expect the worst.

“I was optimistic that we would still be able to compete in some sort of way, but I was realistic that it wouldn’t look like all our seasons before...In the middle of July I started to doubt our return to a normal season, all the big schools and the NCAA were having big meetings and canceling seasons, so I had a feeling that we wouldn’t have much of a season or even one at all,” said Camryn Bancroft, a senior on the women’s volleyball team.

“When I first started seeing on Twitter that conferences began to cancel, I kept checking every day, like, ‘they’re probably going to cancel us next.’

So I started checking everyday once conferences started cancelling and then when they cancelled us it was just all so crazy,” said Hunter Belzo, a fifth-

year senior on the football team.

Belzo and Bancroft both lost more than just their final season with the Pride. They each had their season cut short by an injury last fall, not knowing that they had played their last collegiate game.

“I was really upset [when they cancelled the season]. My [junior] season was cut short due to a season ending stress fracture and now my senior season was canceled as well. Not at all how I want to end my career at Springfield,” said Bancroft.

Upon learning of the cancellation, Belzo reached out to Chad Shade, the team’s quarterback, who was also returning for a fifth-year. Although he considered taking the year off and finishing school in 2021, Belzo decided to finish his collegiate experience this semester.

“If I want to come back to the team, I’ll go to grad school or something like that. I just don’t want to keep pushing back my

degree. I was supposed to graduate this past spring, but I saved credits so I could play this fall...I’ll worry about football later.”

The absence of sports also marks a major change in the lifestyle of fall athletes. Belzo has chosen to take his classes remotely from home, but there has been quite a difference in campus life for athletes living in dorms, especially with practices on hold for the first two weeks of the semester.

“It’s been weird not having anything during that 4 p.m. time slot, but it’s been good to get adjusted to this new normal during this time without practice.

I’ve still been able to run with a few of my teammates, socially distanced of course,” said Fontaine.

“I’m very happy and grateful to be back on campus but honestly, it’s very boring without practice or being able to compete with my team...

The only thing that keeps driving me to be better is knowing we can be back in the gym in a week and finally get to touch a ball and play with my teammates.

“The feeling of being on the court with your teammates and watching everything you’ve been working for the whole week in practice, that’s what I really miss the most,” said Bancroft.

September 10, 2020

Sports

Football head coach Mike Cerasuolo looking on as his team played against WNE fall 2019.

(Jack Margaros/The Student) ___ By Chris Gionta ___ @Chris_Gionta

Not one has gone through the last six months without making compromises, and that is now especially true with the fall athletes and coaches at Springfield College.

On July 17, Springfield College President MaryBeth Cooper announced that the school would not be involved in any intercollegiate athletic competition. Since then, coaches have been preparing for an exclusively intrasquad fall season, while also adjusting to new limits and restrictions for general safety.

“At the moment, we’re in groups of ten, and they have to be six feet apart and wear masks,” said John Gibson, the head coach of the Springfield women’s soccer program.

“Then we hope if everything goes well that restriction will be off.”

Unlike a normal season, conditioning may have to

take a back seat to technical work for the first couple of weeks, rather than the other way around.

“It’s going to be much more of a skill focus initially than it normally is at this time of year,” said Melissa Sharpe, the head coach of the Springfield field hockey team.

The coaches also recognize that their athletes are likely at different levels of readiness due to the quarantine, and they realize that every individual had differing circumstances.

“The first two weeks, our priority is just trying to get the kids back acclimated to different running mechanics and techniques, and seeing what type of condition and shape that we might be in,” said Mike Cerasulo, the head coach of the Springfield football team. “Because everybody was under different circumstances during the last 6-8 months or however

long we’ve been doing this for. Some guys had all the equipment they needed, some guys had very little, some guys had none.”

Without intercollegiate competition, the perception is that there is no end goal. This is partially true, and the coaches are aware of that, but they take it as a challenge. They must find new methods to motivate their athletes and keep it competitive.

“For us, it’s finding ways to be creative as coaches, and it’s implementing different types of training, different types of drills -- things that are going to look really different to the players -- trying to mix it up frequently so it’s not just the same old routine, and it’s, in a good way, somewhat unpredictable for them,” said Coach Sharpe. “But also, I think a big piece of that is finding ways to create competition within a practice.”

PAGE 15

What are the coaches doing?

For many athletes, especially underclassmen, the motivation must be maintained even without competition, with sights on future seasons. Cerasulo is aware that this is not a lost season for everyone involved.

“Motivation [for the players] to me is pretty easy,” he explained. “Because at some point, this is going to all change and so we’ve got to be ready to play, and our kids understand that, and they want to play, so they’re working every day for the opportunity for that to happen.

We don’t know when that might happen. Hopefully we have the opportunity to have a maroon-onwhite scrimmage at some point during the fall. If not, potentially there’s something in the spring.

If not that, we’re definitely, hopefully going to play in the fall.”

Younger players can

surely benefit from this new athletic experience, as it gives them more repetitions to craft their skills for the future. Attempting walk-ons will also face newer, and possibly more beneficial challenges in their pursuit to play for the Pride.

“We have some kids that are kind of in a situation where they’re being looked at to try out,” Sharpe said. “And so, giving them scenarios where they can be successful and show their competition level as well I think is going to be very needed.”

The 2020 fall sports season will undoubtedly be incomparable to any other collegiate athletic season that has been experienced thus far. The initial feeling towards it is negative, but people may take some unexpected positives from it.

Since this has never been done, all anyone can do is wait and see.

SPORTS The Springfield Student

VOL. 135 NO. 2

Identity Crisis Student-athletes and coaches react to their seasons being cancelled [See inside]

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020