GFA Fall Sports Cleared to Play Amidst COVID-19 Safeguards
by Sam Lublinsky, ‘22
Greens Farms Academy is reopening its sports program in person this fall season, with all games and practices taking place with special safety precautions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sports previously played indoors, such as volleyball, have moved outside for the season, with socially-distanced sidelines and players wearing masks when unable to maintain sufficient spacing.
While the official FAA fall season has been cancelled, sports games between schools are continuing in an unofficial manner.
“It probably won’t have exactly all the intensity of a regular full season when you’re trying to get to a league championship, a New England tournament. [...] It won’t be that same feel,” Paul Groves, varsity volleyball and tennis coach at GFA, said. “We go at it with the attitude that [...] let’s just have the girls compete and play some matches.”
Tauni Butterfield, GFA’s athletic director, schedules all sports games between GFA and other schools. Since July, Butterfield has been leading the charge in planning this unconventional season, along with the rest of GFA’s athletic department.
“The biggest hurdle is what the protocol is for our school and their school and how we can blend those two things,” Groves said.
Due to the pandemic, many physical changes were made on and off the field. Two outdoor volleyball courts were installed on Field 5, with spray-painted lines and posts stuck into the grass. The school also updated its transportation policy for away games, in which students will travel to games individually.
“Everybody’s trying to conform to what everybody needs,” Groves said. “I think the key is [...students] trying to do whatever you need to do so you’re at school, not doing distance learning. [...] Most people just want to play.”
Many GFA sports teams played in their first games last week against the Christian Heritage School. The cross country team held their first meet, while both varsity soccer teams and the varsity volleyball team came away with wins.
“I am very impressed with the student body really doing a good job,” Groves said. “Everybody’s trying to do what they can with new rules to try to figure out how to do what they’re doing.”