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athletics I
n light of the COVID-19 pandemic and after many discussions prioritizing community health, safety, and well-being, on July 15, the Founders League unanimously, and with great regret, canceled all Founders League interscholastic competition for the 2020 fall season. Avon Old Farms still strongly believes in the value of athletics— physically, mentally, morally, and socially. The athletic directors created a robust and diverse program to make fall term after-school offerings exciting and beneficial to each student, further enhancing his Avon experience. One advantage granted through the adjusted program was a decision
at the New England level to allow varsity athletes to train and practice with their coaches outside the designated season: those who love hockey are training with John Gardner this fall; the baseball players who missed their spring season were able to come together in September, eliminating the possibility of a two-year gap in playing together. For those who favor specializing in one sport, student athletes were able to practice their top choice sport this fall, taking players out of lower-level teams where they may not have been fully committed. The athletic department thanks
the parents and students who stood by Avon’s decisions and were excited about the plan we have in place. We’ve been making the best of a bad situation and were pleased to hear that a lot of students returned to campus excited about the opportunities to train and play. Overall, though the athletic department faced many challenges this fall, we worked hard to ensure that nothing will keep students from experiencing the joy that competition can engender. We ensured that Avon athletes will remain conditioned and keep their competitive mindset so they will be prepared to succeed when the fields open again.
