In early fall, The John Carroll School was authorized to begin fall athletic practices. These include all sports, even the ones whose seasons are currently delayed.

With the teams being able to meet as collective groups, a sense of normality is being restored, even with the changes in function due to the strict COVID-19 guidelines. School athletics allow student-athletes an escape from certain things and simply just give them something to do with their time.
The rules to hold these practices allow for only one-hour practices, social distancing, and a mandatory mask mandate.
Even though the student-athletes are ecstatic to be back on the fields or courts, no one is more excited than the coaches.
Coach Darrion Siler, a history teacher and varsity baseball coach, offered his insight into what the return of sports means to him.
“Awesome,” he said. “Any time we are able to be back on the field getting better, it is fulfilling.”
This certainly is a model of how most feel to be back doing what they love as well.
Even though we weren’t all physically together since last spring, many coaches found it to be of utmost importance to maintain communication with their players.
Coach Siler found the downtime to be an extremely valuable time for development.
“We did chalk talks with anyone who wanted to join,” he said.
Chalk talks are simply meetings where the team meets as a collective unit to talk about their given sport.
When asked about what he decided to focus these meetings on, Coach Siler explained that the main idea was “Mental gain, perseverance and a great opportunity to talk about the college recruitment process.”
Now that in-person practices are under way, the circumstances are different.
“Numbers are different. Considerations and spacing are different. Wearing masks is the main change,” explained Coach Siler.
His explanation of what the return meant for being ready for the season was simple.
“Involvement is only available to those who aren’t multi-sport athletes as priority goes to the sport that is supposed to be in season,” said Coach Siler. “The idea is to get stronger and work on mechanics”
As John Carroll sports return, so do the athletes, doing what they love to do: play their games with one another.