Recently due to the ongoing COVID-19 virus pandemic, all activities, schools, and businesses not deemed essential have been cancelled and closed down till further notice. These are all a part of our daily lives, and this is going to greatly affect the way we live until this situation starts to calm down. Most schools including NECC have now transitioned to online learning, but unfortunately sports were unable to do the same, and are now forced to be cancelled for the rest of their season. For student-athletes this is a dramatic change because they’re not only missing out on an on-campus education, but they’re also missing out on the opportunity to practice and compete for their school.
NECC student-athlete Tim Dodier gave an interview via cellphone and stated “We just have to stay optimistic right now, and hope for the best. It’s tough with basketball because we don’t have access to the facilities or equipment that the school usually provides. Which makes training at home a lot harder and it requires way more discipline. Unfortunately it’s the only thing we can all do right now to train and stay in shape.” Says Dodier.
Alex Montanez is the Over watch team captain for the NECC Esports team, and he had some positive things to say via cellphone regarding the cancellation of their season. “It’s unfortunate, we’ve all been working really hard and we were ready to compete in the playoffs. But at the end of the day I’m just thankful for the friends I made, and the opportunity to play together as a team.”
The NECC Esports team had a very successful season and were about to enter the playoffs, but unfortunately they will have to wait until next season to compete again. Esports, Rocket League team captain, Christian Bova stated via Cellphone “The outcome of this season was unfortunate, but at the end of the day we know we’re one of the best teams. So now we have to let this motivate us to stay positive, work hard, and come back even better next year.” Says Bova.
Many of the NECC student-athletes are staying dedicated, and resilient in the face of these challenging times. Their hard work and commitment not only show their true character, but will also be rewarded with success once they begin competing again.
