A Long-Awaited Return

 

By Timothy Santiago

Excitement filled the air as students made their way to lunch. The clamoring had died down a bit, but the prospect of intramural sports returning brightened everyone’s day. As unexpected as Mr. Davis’s chapel announcement was, students welcomed it enthusiastically. After a year and half of being stuck in a pandemic, even things as simple of after school sports caused quite a stir.

Almost immediately people began discussing which sports they would play. The first three were basketball, soccer, and volleyball. Many former JV and Varsity players prepared to return to their favorite sports while many new players looked forward to joining in as well.

Everything was set up in such a way as to welcome players of any skill level. Basketball was divided into boy’s and girl’s teams with seniors as team captains. Volleyball and soccer teams, on the other hand, were co-ed also with seniors as team captains. With forms turned in and teams created, students waited in anticipation for the Monday where it would all begin.

In the words of Taylor Johnson (12), “I think what I have been most looking forward to is that intramurals are like a clean start where anyone can join in, improve their game, and have fun. It’s been so long since we’ve all played that it kind of has less pressure since everyone is re-adjusting.”

Fast forward a few weeks of spontaneous scrimmages and last-minute practicing, the long-awaited day finally arrived. The last bit of pandemic laziness had been shaken. Students milled around the Galley discussing strategies, waiting for teachers to let them into the gyms.

Just minutes later, in a rush of squeaking shoes, refs blew the whistles, and the games were officially afoot. For the first time in what seemed like forever, students could once again compete in sports. The new Sandycroft courts on top of the Galley were also being used for the first time. During all this, a total of eight teams played.

For many students, the start of sports completed their school experience. Gabe Kontsas (12) shares in a post-game interview, “Sports coming back was like finding a missing puzzle piece after it being lost for one and a half years.” Overall, the first day went well and the first few games were completed with much enthusiasm marking the successful start of the 2022 intramural season at Dalat.