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Without Woodlynde Sports:
Athletes Are Disappointed, Finding Other Outlets
Commentary
By Zach Penn
News Editor
This year, I was really looking forward to playing soccer for Woodlynde during my senior year and helping lead my team to many victories. I was really disappointed and saddened when I found out that Varsity Soccer was canceled, because I wanted to be able to play with my teammates again.
But I did not let this get me down. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play soccer outside of school and continue to improve my skills.
Many students were upset because they had no fall sports this school year due to the safety concerns surrounding Covid-19.
“I am sad that there are not any fall sports because I really enjoy playing tennis,” sophomore Aliya Ridgeway stated in November. “I like that you can only play tennis with a few people. I also think that it is a really fun sport to play.”
Other students feel the same way.
Sophomore Layla Thorne normally would have been playing tennis or volleyball in the fall. She said she feels “sad that we don’t have fall sports because I can’t be with my friends and I can’t get to do anything besides schoolwork now.”
Freshman Katie Dougherty also said she felt sad because she ran cross country in the past and was looking forward to participating again. However, since she can’t, she is horseback riding, which “keeps me in shape.”
Some students were trying to make up for the lack of school sports by participating in sports outside of school.
For example, junior Noah Kauderwood stated, “I was trying out for a soccer team outside of Woodlynde, but on the last day of tryouts I tore my meniscus, so for right now, I am not playing any sports.”
I have been playing soccer for the West-Mont Premier team. This year has been a little different than normal. For example, I have had to show up to games wearing a mask, but thankfully I don't have to wear a mask during the game.
I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love, while others cannot. I have been practicing every Monday and Wednesday to prepare for the upcoming games and tournaments that I will be attending.
A few students who have not been able to play sports outside of Woodlynde are still trying to stay in shape.
Senior Nic Park, who would have played Varsity Golf in the fall, said, “I am doing workouts with a trainer. I am doing a lot of physical work to get more muscle and [get] better at golf and swimming.”
Many students would like to have their school sports back. Hopefully these sports will be moved to a different season, and that sports from other seasons will still happen. As of mid-November, Athletic Director Mr. Purdy did not know whether Woodlynde will have winter sports this school year.
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.
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