By: Savannah Stutevoss
With the end of the fall 2020 semester quickly approaching, there are many answered questions and new possibilities concerning Hardin-Simmons University and its athletic programs in the midst of a pandemic.
For incoming and returning student athletes, the chances of a normal season were almost impossible, and a large number of students experienced a canceled season or limited practices. However, regardless of the uncertainty, many athletes were able to make the most of fall 2020 in various ways and share their hopes and goals for the spring 2021 seasons.
Heidi Moser is a senior from Henderson, Nevada, studying fitness, sport and recreational management. She also has had a successful golf career at Hardin-Simmons.
“I loved being able to be with my teammates and play with them this semester,” Moser said. “This year is very important to me since I am a senior. I am looking forward to hopefully playing and finishing my collegiate golf career with my best friends and teammates.”
Sophomore and business major Amanda Schneck from Southlake plays tennis.
“COVID-19 left us with a devastatingly incomplete spring season last semester. Coming into the fall of 2020 I was skeptical of what we would be able to do as far as practices, workouts and travel,” Schneck said. “I understand the need to limit the spread of the virus but as a non contact sport I was confident of our ability to play. Though our major tournaments were canceled, I was glad that we were allowed to participate in small scrimmages. I hope that the spring will bring more of a chance to compete and the ability to play in the conference tournament at the end of the semester.”
Jake Terhune is a junior biology major from Frisco. “Having heard the news over the summer that our season was canceled was tough,” Terhune said. “Nevertheless, we worked all spring and summer to get in shape for the fall season and we came back stronger than ever. With these uncertain times, our coaching and training staff have kept us safe and healthy throughout this semester. It’s been over a year since I played an actual conference game, and I’m looking forward to playing more than ever and the way we are looking so far I believe this could be one of our best years yet.”
Chloe Rivera is a sophomore volleyball player from Odessa. She is studying business management and economics at Hardin-Simmons.
“More than anything I was ready for anything,” Rivera said. “Being quarantined for six months leading up to college, just about any sort of change was something to be grateful for -- even though we all knew things would be different.”
Her attitude towards these changes and differences remained optimistic throughout the semester. “Despite the setbacks, this semester has been great. It has forced us to accept new ways of learning we never would have before and has strengthened our mentality of a successor,” Rivera said. “Looking forward to the next semester: I am ready for the next chapter. Again, although things are subject to change, I am ready to head into the next semester and continue to grow as a student and spiritual learner. If anything, I have learned to take everyday and appreciate its entirety. You never know when you could get quarantined [or] actually catch corona and be locked up for two weeks.”
Jamie Pogue is a senior kicker for HSU’s football team. He is a history education major from Abilene preparing to start his masters in human development in January.
“This semester was, of course, extremely different then anything I’ve ever really encountered before,” Pogue said. “However, I think our strength staff and coaching staff did a phenomenal job of getting us ready for the season while also keeping us extremely safe. In the spring I’m looking forward to competing. We haven’t gotten to play a real opponent in over a year. On paper we feel really good about the team we have and feel that we should be in the mix to win the conference. Now it’s just a matter of executing what we believe we are capable of.”
We are so proud of all of our student athletes and are excited to see what the future holds for them in the spring. Go Cowboys.
Comments