The 2021 season for boys at Coginchaug Regional High School will start very differently than other seasons before due to the covid pandemic. 

As the community of School District 13 overcomes the deadly disease throughout the nation, the community of Durham and Middlefield Connecticut are fighting to keep all the schools open with the most precaution possible. Last year, during the highlight of the virus, all sports had trouble in attempting to play sports with the school being closed. It soon came to the determination to have no sports for kids. Seniors were saddened to hear the news as they could not continue their last year of high school sports and were forced to continue onto their future after high school.

Now, as we come closer and closer to the start of the baseball season, many are excited with the news of the start up of spring sports once again! Sports will be different though with the contemplations of staying safe as well. All teammates have begun training in Cheshire, at D-BAT during the winter season. With the startup of pitchers and catchers starting in March, 22nd through the 26th. Players are eager to get back into the sport they love playing.  As we aren’t too sure when our first game will be, we are sure to be ready. Gathering the most information possible, Head coach, Mark Basil explained, “Due to covid conditions, we will have to maintain the social distance in the dugouts (with masks) and on the field when we have meetings. Our pitchers will need to use a damp towel out on the mound rather than going to their mouth to improve their grip.

Team celebrations will have to be reduced to another form rather than high fives and hugs”. He had also said, “I think that with the season being pushed back it will help the CIAC see that starting and finishing the season a little later may help avoid some of those early rain outs and postponements due to the field conditions”. 

Co-captain, Kolby Pascarelli said, “it gives us an opportunity to fit in, throughout the playoffs. We usually have games taken away from us early in the season and with it being pushed back, it will allow all of us to be even more ready to win as the rainy season passes. With covid, we will take precautions in the dugouts which may be different from other seasons, but we can accommodate”. As spoken to big contributors to the Coginchaug baseball team, I am sure we will have our season and even though it may not be the same, we will still have fun playing the game that we love no matter the conditions.

(The writer is a player on the CRHS baseball team)