Due to coronavirus, during the 2020 summer PIHS athletes could not participate in traditional summer sports programming. Instead, they had to find other ways to prepare for the fall season, not knowing if the season would actually happen.

For many Wildcat athletes, they continued to prepare as usual. “I worked out and did cardio when I could,” said Conner Michaud ‘21. “I normally workout in the weight room and go biking. I feel very prepared.” Jude Mosher ‘21 echoed that.  “In the summer I run regularly to get prepared for the season. I feel more prepared for fall sports this year than in years’ past,” said Mosher.

This summer the school put together a program allowing athletes to stay active and offer some level of preparation for specific sports. This program had four phases. The first two coordinated with CPT for cross-training exercises. In the third and fourth phases it became focused on individual sports with PIHS coaches in charge. “I thought that the soccer and basketball sessions made me more prepared than the cross-training workouts,” Sydney Lavigne ‘24 said.

For incoming freshmen athletes, the summer programming may not have offered the usual opportunities, but they were able to enjoy being with other athletes and coaches. “It was a lot different to work with the high school coaches than the middle school coaches,” said Amelia Donovan ‘24.  “It was really nice to see people from the school over the summer, because we weren’t really able to hang out.”

Also for incoming athletes training with varsity coaches and teammates felt like a big step up.  “Coming in as a freshman and not having much to compare it to, I felt really prepared compared to my middle school years,” said Julie Bartley ‘24. “ I don’t know how it will compare when it comes to racing. but I definitely felt like I did a lot better during the summer than I have in past years.”

Athletes are also getting nervous, should COVID-19 affect the fall season, despite all the waiting and the efforts to prepare. “I played a lot of holes, I also went to the driving range. I feel moderately prepared,” said golfer Morgan House ‘24. “But I’m concerned for downstate teams. There could be an outbreak.”

“This summer I took advantage of the work out time that we had” said Jack Hallett ‘23.  “I feel really prepared. I think that we got a good group of boys. My only concern would be that the season doesn’t last as long as it should.”