GoodKnight Great Hall: Covid Concerns

By Cole Rees ‘21

 

Wyoming Seminary held the #1 ranked wrestling team in the nation last year. This year, the school has yet to open its training facility, the Great Hall, to the boys’ team. This is due to the lack of Covid regulations needed by either the National Federation of High School Associations or the National Prep Wrestling League.

Being unable to use the wrestling room on campus has made it difficult for the team to get much-needed training time. However, the coaching staff was able to find an off-campus training site that the team is currently using. Having to travel off-campus for practice is less than ideal for the team’s mostly boarding population. It has been doable in good weather, but the trip could begin to cause issues with the weather getting colder. With boarders not allowed in vehicles and the Great Hall still closed, they must walk to and from practice in upcoming frigid temperatures, rain, and snow. 

The team has remained cheerful and considerate through this process. Current Sem wrestler and border, Dylan Zenion ’23, stated, “Although it makes life a little harder, as long as we can wrestle, I’m okay with it. Although I hope we can get in Great Hall before the winter hits.” Teammate Andrew Donahue ’22 stated similar thoughts when asked how the process has affected him, “It’d be nice to be in Great Hall, I miss it. I understand the school’s thought process, but what’s the difference if we’re training off-campus or on? I feel [bad] for the boarders who have to walk in bad weather conditions.” 

Health should come to the mind of the Sem Administration when making decisions about opening Great Hall in the near future. Wrestlers typically leave practice soaked from sweat and extremely tired. If winter hits and if Great Hall is still closed borders will have to walk over a mile back to campus in icy temperatures while wet, causing health concerns.

Regarding the school’s Covid Regulations and the responsibility the wrestling team has to follow, Head Coach Scott Green stated, “It is a big responsibility for teens to bear, but it is the situation we are in. This type of pressure is part of the package when you belong to the best high school wrestling program in the country.” Efforts to open Great Hall back up for the boys are still underway.