From the moment that the COVID-19 virus triggered a national lockdown in mid-March, it was apparent that the 2020 spring sports season was in jeopardy of being lost. Then on Apr. 21, the IHSA eliminated any possibility of its return, officially cancelling Illinois’ remaining athletic schedule for the 2019-20 school year.

While the abrupt end of the spring sports season devastated New Trier’s student-athletes, the decision itself was long expected.

The virus’ spread in the weeks following the school suspensions made it impossible to safely hold large public gatherings; and once Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that the remainder of Illinois’ school year would be conducted remotely, a season cancellation became all but inevitable, taking just four days to be made official by the IHSA.

“My senior soccer season being cancelled was heartbreaking, but I’ve been trying to stay positive and look at the big picture,” said senior soccer player Emma Weaver.  “People are suffering and dying, and it would be selfish of me to sit back and ignore all the chaos that’s going on in the world right now.”

Although all of the spring sports teams were able to hold some preseason practices before the season suspension on Mar. 12, most of them never got to see competitive action this season, which made the cancellations particularly painful for those teams’ departing members.

“We were hopeful at the beginning [of the school shutdown] that we would be able to salvage part of our season, but as time moved on, it seemed less and less likely,” said senior boys volleyball player Max Kocour. “I was kind of expecting it, but it made it no easier when we found out our season was completely cancelled.”

While the season results of the different spring sports teams will forever remain a mystery due to the pandemic, it’s likely that New Trier athletics would have seen continued success in 2020 as many varsity teams were set to enter the season as legitimate state championship contenders.

The boys volleyball team would likely have earned a seventh consecutive state trip with seniors Peter Brown and Colin Heath leading the way. The girls soccer team had aspirations of earning a long-awaited state title for Weaver and senior goalie Courtney Charcut, both of whom were set to enter their fourth season with the varsity team.

The boys tennis team was preparing to make a run at its 8th state title in the 21st century; and the girls water polo team, led by seniors Emilia Zientara, Taylor Jones, and Kasey Umlauf, had assembled one of their best rosters in team history and was hoping to accomplish a historic feat this season.

“I believe that we could’ve won the state championship for the first time in New Trier Girls Water Polo history,” said Zientara. “Our team has such a close bond outside of the water that makes us perform better as a team during the game. Everybody has a role in our team, but each player is so versatile as well. This is truly an amazing group of girls, and I have no doubt in my mind that we would’ve been state champions.”

Although many of New Trier’s spring sports teams would have been worthy challengers for the state title, only the boys and girls’ varsity lacrosse teams were set to enter the 2020 season as defending champions, and neither of them seemed ready to relinquish their respective thrones.

The girls team, led by their battle-tested senior core of Claudia Shevitz, Charley Meier, and Emma Merk, was expected to be even better than their 2019 state championship squad; and the boys team, which would have returned much of its title-winning roster from last season, was more than capable of repeating as well.

“In all honesty, I thought we were the most talented team in the state,” said senior boys lacrosse player James Hemmer. “We had a lot of people who were very dynamic, and we all wanted to win another state championship. Teams like St. Viator and Loyola are always great, but I felt like our team this year was deeper, tougher, and more focused than any other team in the state.”

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented New Trier’s spring sports teams from being together in person, it has not stopped the players from preserving the key characteristics of team athletics.

Most teams have used video calls and text groups to keep in touch throughout the quarantine, and many players have been proactive in maintaining their physical fitness during this period of forced hibernation.

“I would say that I have been staying completely submerged in my athletic training regimen,” said Weaver. “I go to the open fields and play with my brother or sister some days; I workout in my basement and run everyday; I’m still grinding, and that’s what matters. I’m putting in the work to get ahead of those who are not.”

While the season cancellation is sure to remain a bitter and resonant memory for the players and coaches affected, it is also sure to provide them with valuable perspective in their future pursuits; for although each individual will surely take a different path beyond this season, they will forever be connected by this common experience and the common mentality cultivated by it.

“I know that the team next year will compete super hard everyday in practice and games because now they know what it feels like to have it taken away,” said Shevitz. “For the next four years, I know that I will give 110% every time I play, not only for myself and my teammates, but for all the high school seniors who don’t get a chance to play in college.”