“I am most looking forward to creating bonds with my team and bettering myself,” says Mia Timmerman, a three-year long participant in North Augusta High School soccer. Michelle Furmage, a senior on the team this year states that she is most looking forward to “getting back on the field" as the COVID regulations have prevented that so far. Mary Strauss, another senior at North Augusta High School, when asked the same question, explains that she was “most looking forward to playing my senior year and winning state.” This task may not be the easiest to carry out because, as Irish Miles, a four-year member of the high school team, states, “the biggest challenge will be developing almost entirely a new team, with nine seniors who graduated last year.”
Furmage explains that “Conditioning was supposed to start in December.” But due to the influx of COVID cases and the amount of people travelling to various locations to the holidays, it was moved back to January. Miles argues that even though conditioning started late this year, “it’s a great opportunity for individuals to get into shape before the season.” Miles also explains the new rules of conditioning due to COVID safety. She says that “COVID has affected my training substantially, in aspects such as we now wear a mask, sometimes when playing. it also effects our conference schedule.” These new safety protocols have so far been successful in keeping everyone able to condition by preventing interaction between large groups of participants.
Furmage airs a complaint with the method of conditioning as she says, “other teams in the school had their seasons, playing against other schools, during an influx of COVID cases yet for some reason we can’t even condition while social distancing.” Strauss looks back on COVID and states that so far, “it definitely ruined my senior year.” While there are some concerns going forward, Miles says that even though those concerns will not go away, “we have some promising new talent,” and she is “looking forward to finally getting to play with a potentially great team.” Strauss’ belief that the team can make it to state this year coupled with Miles’ outlook on the team makes this year’s soccer season one to watch in anticipation.
Photo Credit: Greer Worley
Pictured: Irish Miles
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