KEEP MOVING FORWARD

For us students, distance learning has limited us from what we used to do face- to-face. School gates are closed, and various sports complexes are unavailable, which leaves student-athletes no choice but to study and train at home. But how do student- athletes get by in fulfilling both their academic and athletic responsibilities? Let’s take a closer look at the testimonial of Alexis Samala, a 20-year-old volleyball player studying at a local college.

- Alyssa Joji Silva

ADAPTING TO CHANGE

At the beginning of lockdown, Alexis was getting by with an online set-up for both classes and training. Her bedroom instantly became her new classroom and training space. This was extra challenging because there were times that her ball would go “flying everywhere” and “possibly go to a neighbors house or out the street” and so she “couldn’t train with a ball”.

On some days she would reminisce about the past where she got to play with her teammates at the sports complex, and they would separate into pairs, triads, or groups and do sequences assigned by their coach. There were also times that they would move away after their sequence to “whisper and talk.” Remembering those moments makes her smile while feeling sad that things are completely different now.

For her, it’s just “silence, since I can’t necessarily talk with my teammates through Zoom or Google Meet without everyone knowing what we’re talking about. Sure, we can message through Messenger or Telegram but it’s just not the same as being physically around with my closest friends and teammates and talking with each other as volleyballs fly past.”