Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
West-Mont United players back in action
West-Mont United players back to game action as part of careful return
It appeared so normal. Three girls’ soccer teams holding practice on a warm Tuesday night at the West-Mont United HillTop Farm Fields.
But in the age of COVID-19, the journey to something that was once so normal required great lengths.
Such is the ‘new normal’ for youth sports organizations around southeast Pa. resuming activities since the state entered the green phase on June 26 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
For organizations like WestMont United, the planning, safety measures and protocols required for resumption required - and continues to require - lengthy work behind the scenes.
Under guidelines from the CDC, state of Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and West-Mont United’s own protocols, the path back to the field has resembled a close-control dribbling drill: small steps.
But you’ll get few complaints: it all means being with teammates and having a ball at their feet.
“It’s been a really fun environment coming back,” said Caitlin Norwood, a rising senior at Spring-Ford and member of the 03 Premier team. “We all missed each other.”
Similar to other soccer clubs under the EPYS banner, West-Mont returned with a four-day camp beginning June 29 with masks, social distancing and noncontact as a reacclimation period before entering into Stage 2 of the EPYS restart which allowed team training beginning July 9.
High school-age teams have resumed training together for the past week while gearing up for their first competition since the shutdown in March when they play this weekend at the PA Classics’ Mid-Atlantic Cup in Lancaster.
The cautious approach helped ease any nerves that may have existed after the four-month layoff from the pandemic.
“I didn’t feel a lot of reservation,” said Maddie Zielke, a Perkiomen Valley rising senior and 03 Premier player. “Last week we had socially-distanced practice so we were kind of together and able to slowly build toward playing. We built into it and I think that calmed any nerves.”
Also alleviating nerves were safety measures enacted by EPYS and WestMont United, whose efforts were led by Executive Director Ian Dawson and College Prep Director Steve Small. Those include questionnaires and temperature checks entering practice, hand sanitization before and during session breaks, wearing of masks off the field, coaches in masks, and following social distancing guidelines with bags and equipment six feet apart.
The organization is also adjusting its schedule to compete in state more and seeking competition from a nearer proximity in an effort to avoid teams from states with higher coronavirus case numbers.
For year-round players like most of those with college-prep teams, a fourmonth layoff from their sport was unprecedented.
“It feels weird coming back. We’ve all trained on our own, but it’s different coming back together,” Norwood said. “We’re all ready to get back to playing, but we’re nervous obviously with it being the first game back (this weekend).”
During the period of quarantine in Pa., teams tried to stay connected via
Zoom conferences, individual training work and virtual competitions.
“West-Mont really quickly implemented a plan to go virtual and do the best we can,” said 04 Premier head coach Tim Raub. “As coaches, we were putting together training sessions for players to work individually, West-Mont was putting it together in video libraries to allow coaches to share information.
“We spent some time doing social service stuff - my team did a social media video thanking nurses and doctors - to keep the kids active and their minds going in the right direction with some creativity. The hope was giving soccer as an outlet from everything that was going on, to get them out of the real world for a little bit and feel a bit of normalcy.”
Also weighing on players during the shutdown, especially for rising high school juniors and seniors, was the NCAA recruiting blackout period, that has been extended to Aug. 31 for Division I. During a dead period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.
The spring and summer window would be prime recruiting time under normal circumstances.
“We stopped during the biggest part of our season. It was really difficult because that is normally a main time for coaches to look at players and now we just stopped,” said Lauryn Rezza, a Pope John Paul II student and member of the 04 team. “But it helped give us time to do more research schools and focus and really consider where we want to go.
“I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to play in college but the time here (during the shutdown) helped me realize that I do want to and it motivated me to do more.”
Small, who along with his role at West-Mont is an assistant coach for the Elizabethtown University men’s team, is experiencing both sides of the recruitment conundrum. “It’s definitely been a challenge,” he said. “From a college coach standpoint, it’s changed things. To help the players with recruiting, it’s been a challenge. The ones I feel for the most are the juniors that are going to be seniors. They haven’t been seen since March. They need to be seen (to maximize recruitment opportunities).
“We’ve adjusted in a lot of ways, getting players on Zoom calls with colleges, doing virtual tours of campuses, getting to see what schools have to offer, sending video of recorded games. I’ve been on the phone with a lot of college coaches expressing a player’s interest in their school and sharing what they are about.”
Players also gained insight on group calls with college and professional players, including Lancaster County natives Zarek Valentin (Houston Dynamo) and Jenna West (Sundsvalls DFF in Sweden).
“We had to get really creative, really quick about keeping college coaches interested and keeping players on the minds of college coaches,” Raub said. “My players had to put together a list of their top 3 schools. I reached out to them and basically said, ‘At this stage, I know you can’t talk to these players, but what’s something you’re looking for right now that you think that would be valuable for them?” The girls really stayed on top of everything.”
At this weekend’s PA Classics tournament, players were only be permitted one spectator, adhered to social distancing when not playing, coaches were in masks, and sharing of equipment was prohibited. Teams even had to bring their own bench if they chose.
But for a few hours in between the lines, they were just soccer players again.
“The time away really made me realize how much of a lifestyle it is,” said Ella Stout, a goalkeeper on the 04 team and Phoenixville student. “It’s going to be fun. I can’t wait for the first whistle honestly.”