By Kevin Peterson | Photo by Bibi Powers
With the abrupt end to their semester on campus brought about by COVID-19, Colorado College student athletes were unable to finish their seasons. The training room was abuzz the day of the announcement, as seniors, robbed of their final season, realized the end of their sports careers at CC had arrived. However, as student athletes have settled back in at home, some may have found the silver lining in these uncertain times.
Coming from the huge time-commitment of being an athlete at the college level with training, lifting, and games, CC athletes find themselves with much more free time at home taking online classes. Although most teams were given body weight workout programs, it doesn’t compare to the time commitment while in season on campus. With more time on their hands, athletes have rediscovered passions outside of their sport.
Women’s lacrosse player Bella Scola ’23 looked to the positives of missing out on her first season as a Tiger.
“I think this break from running and the competition of sports, while totally unwanted, has been good for me to understand that being a good athlete, but more importantly being a healthy person, is not dependent solely upon a few characteristics of my athletic ability,” said Scola. “It takes more than just constantly running myself into the ground to be a healthy person.”
Scola has put her extra time away from the field into her passion of photography and cooking. Behind the lens, she has found peace and normality in the state of life at the moment. Back on campus, most athletes in season don’t have time to pursue their hobbies to the degree they may want. While this time in quarantine is unwanted and stressful, it gives student athletes a chance to reconnect to their interests outside of athletics and remind them of their other talents.
Isaac Kenner ’22 plays for CC’s men’s soccer team. Although soccer is a fall sport, Kenner is still missing out on his spring season for the Tigers. However, Isaac, a very talented artist and musician, has also found peace at home through these various creative outlets. He has been learning new songs on the guitar and drawing as a form of meditation.
“Jamming along with a Grateful Dead backing track or learning a new song makes me forget the terrible circumstances for the time being,” Kenner said. “I have also been drawing/painting when I feel like I need to clear my head and express my emotions. Not only have these creative works bolstered my mental health and developed my skills, but the process and its resulting positivity have inspired those around me to smile, keep going and even pursue creative passions of their own.”
As we stay inside and wait for these unfortunate circumstances to end, it is crucial that we still pursue what makes us happy. Whether it be creating art or music, finding beauty behind the viewfinder, or crafting new recipes, this pause in life is an opportunity pursue passions that may be forgotten in the rush of everyday life.