Life for most of us has slowed to a crawl as we wait out the virus. Political leaders seem to be content to point blame at each other from their basements, in front of cameras to pontificate to whomever will listen. I find it incredulous that Congress has gone home, while people await unemployment checks ( first round has already exhausted), and testing remains tepidly active, far beneath the need!!
At this point in April, I would have expected to have seen our Leopards in several contests, but alas it didn’t happen, and as each day ticks by, the fate of the fall season becomes more hope than certainty.
Pam and I are doing fine, as we brilliantly decided to get a new puppy to amuse us, and she is doing that and more. We forgot that raising a puppy is like raising a baby, only in a compressed time period. She began 4 weeks ago at 10 pounds, walking and running slightly, and now being nearly 30 pounds and can run with the wind, as she teases us by digging up Pam’s flowers, taking a throw pillow for a romp around the house or blessedly taking one of her 2 naps during the day. I have lost 6 pounds in the process so all is good!!
The outside world is at a standstill, but I must say car traffic has started to pick up, and some businesses are finding ways around the regulations to stay alive. Pam is teaching via “ZOOM” ( I had no idea what Zoom was until 4 weeks ago), but wishes she were back in a regular classroom. This is her last year and she regrets she will not see her class live before the end of the year!!
Lafayette is in distant learning, and a real live commencement in August is still a hope, like the beginning of fall classes and sports. It may well depend on our state political leaders, but the governor last week vetoed a call for a “plan” to reopen. Boston University says it is definitely closed through the summer, Harvard has alerted its faculty to prepare to continue distant learning this fall, the University of Cincinnati has dropped soccer altogether, and there is talk among the power five about delaying or canceling the football season.
Lafayette has a decent endowment to weather the storm, but there are indeed challenges to be faced in the coming months as there are always. Higher education is one of those “industries” greatly effected by the shutdown.
We are continuing to look at a new home for USA Field Hockey and I must say interest still looks very promising. However, Futures has come to a halt and the YWNT is at least postponed as practices are impossible during the crisis. The National Team cannot travel or practice, and of course the Olympics are postponed until next year. The NCAA as usual seems frozen, for God knows why.
I am still hopeful we will see our team on the turf come August, which no doubt, given the lack of spring practice, and high performance national opportunities being blocked, brings its own challenges to coaches.
Stay safe….for our graduating seniors I have donated my usual framed poem by Emerson (Success), meant to be given at the end of year luncheon, to the school and it will be mailed once the empty offices of our administration are again occupied. I presume they are on a desk at the Kirby Sport Center.
We would love to hear from you and what you are doing during this time!! Information flow has stopped much like the rest of the world! Let us know if I can publish what you have to say to the rest of the world!!
Lafayette College Field Hockey 