Thomas Hitchins of males’s soccer, Matt Padre of Manhattan baseball, and Kai Riner of Manhattan volleyball are amongst many student-athletes hoping to compete of their respective sports activities if the MAAC decides to carry athletic competitors regardless of the continuing menace of the coronavirus pandemic. The beginning of the spring semester is scheduled for Jan. 27, giving Manhattan student-athletes an extended stretch of time to each enhance their expertise and keep in form for a possible spring season. Hitchins, Padre and Riner shared with the Quadrangle a glimpse of how they plan on spending the vacation season. Interviews compiled by Colleen E. McNamara.
Thomas Hitchins, Males’s Soccer, Junior
TQ: How do you intend on staying in form throughout the break?
TH: I plan to remain in form throughout this prolonged break by following a exercise plan supplied to me by our teaching workers together with doing further operating and gymnasium periods. With the break being longer than normal, it will likely be good to combine up what I do to maintain it from getting boring.
TQ: Do you’ve got any particular journeys or actions deliberate throughout the break?
TH: I plan to go to my pals in North Carolina, which is the place I used to reside earlier than my household moved to Tampa, Florida. In any other case, I will likely be spending lots of time with my household and my niece.
TQ: What are you wanting ahead to extra, Thanksgiving or Christmas?
TH: I’m wanting ahead to each for various causes. Thanksgiving is definitely the day of my birthday this yr so it’s like a double vacation however Christmas is when my complete household will likely be collectively as a result of my twin sister will likely be dwelling from Arizona. If I had to decide on it might be Christmas as a result of I haven’t seen my twin sister since July.
TQ: Do you view this lengthy stretch of time forward as an opportunity to get higher and be extra ready for a possible season within the spring?
TH: This prolonged break undoubtedly provides me the possibility to be extra ready for a possible spring season. I’ve lots of time to actually put together for coaching and video games by actually pushing my health ranges like we’ve all fall throughout coaching. It will likely be robust to organize for a season with out being in our staff atmosphere however I feel all the fellows will come again able to compete within the Spring.
TQ: How will your coaching differ this winter break than previously?
TH: My coaching will differ this winter as it’s going to all be extra particular person as previously I’ve been capable of prepare with outdated teammates and have extra reasonable soccer based mostly coaching. This after all is a problem however I feel throughout a time like this, we’ve to do the perfect we will to remain wholesome so we will come again able to win a MAAC Championship.
Matt Padre, Baseball, Senior
TQ: How do you intend on staying in form throughout the break?
MP: For this lengthy break, I plan on getting again into form. For me this fall I took a few steps backwards because of a few accidents. I strained my proper lat and sprained my ankle. I’m going to get after this winter as it’s vital for me to play catch up over the winter. I need to proceed to be a key contributor to my staff. This semester I felt like I not solely let myself down however my teammates as nicely. The opposite guys, particularly my fellow catchers, Nick Cimillo and Jake Radziewicz actually needed to carry my load this fall. I would like that to vary and fortunately for me, I’ve a house gymnasium at my home with a full squat rack, bench press, treadmill, and so on. I’m excited to get again dwelling, calm down slightly bit, however most significantly, getting myself higher for the season. I actually missed taking part in baseball this semester and it goes to indicate you that you just don’t understand how good one thing is till you don’t have it anymore.
TQ: Do you’ve got any particular journeys or actions deliberate throughout the break?
MP: I’m beginning my rest off this break by taking a visit to the Dominican Republic with my fellow seniors on the staff. Whereas sure, this may occasionally appear irresponsible throughout a pandemic, all of us have been examined earlier than getting on the aircraft and we’re going to get fast examined the day earlier than the flight to make sure we don’t unfold it. Then lastly, once we return we’re going to quarantine ourselves in our off-campus residences earlier than heading dwelling to our households. We perceive the state of affairs at hand, however on the identical time, it’s our senior yr. I would like to have the ability to discover that delicate stability between having fun with our time in our final yr, however on the identical time taking the precautions essential to maintain not solely ourselves protected but in addition these round us.
TQ: What are you wanting ahead to extra, Thanksgiving or Christmas?
MP: I personally am extra of a Christmas man. I really like the whole lot about Christmas: the music, the meals, the ambiance, the household time. Every thing about it’s only a totally different buzz. There’s a totally different form of power within the air and who doesn’t love the giving and receiving presents. Significantly nothing is healthier than giving a shock present that simply makes the opposite particular person smile ear to ear, then giving the ol MJ shrug like yeah, I considered that present. In all seriousness although, it’s simply a lot enjoyable to spend time with household and actually take pleasure in one another as work and college is on a pause. Plus it’s enjoyable to mirror on the yr as an entire and prepare to show the web page to the brand new yr and particularly flip the web page on 2020.
TQ: Do you view this lengthy stretch of time forward as an opportunity to get higher and be extra ready for a possible season within the spring?
MP: This prolonged break is sweet but in addition scary on the identical time. Our staff is gifted on paper, however like coach Cole says on a regular basis, paper doesn’t win baseball video games. This lengthy break actually is what you make of it. Like I defined in query 1, I’ve lots of work to do. So for me personally, I view this break as a plus. In school, I’m concerned with extra than simply athletics, so I’m always operating round campus, and going dwelling provides me time to calm down. But it surely additionally provides me the liberty to work out at my very own tempo and schedule. With the in-person lessons and arduous follow slots whereas on campus, it was arduous for me to get to follow sure days. So this prolonged break actually permits me to actually lock in on what issues and that’s getting wholesome and stronger bodily and on the identical time, ending my semester sturdy.
Kai Riner, Volleyball, Senior
TQ: How do you intend on staying in form throughout the break?
KR: Throughout this break, I plan on staying in form by doing a little exercises at dwelling, operating, and getting a while in taking part in volleyball when it’s protected. Although gyms are open, I don’t prefer to put myself or my household in danger however operating and at-home exercises work for me.
TQ: Do you’ve got any particular journeys or actions deliberate throughout the break?
KR: I don’t have any particular journeys deliberate, however I really like doing something outdoor with my household. We prefer to hike and go tenting and so I’m actually excited to spend extra time with my household and my 2-year-old niece.
TQ: What are you wanting ahead to extra, Thanksgiving or Christmas?
KR: I’m wanting ahead to Thanksgiving extra as a result of I really like when my household can come collectively and simply eat all of my favourite meals. I used to be born on Black Friday and my birthday falls on it once more this yr, so Thanksgiving has at all times been my favourite vacation.
TQ: Do you view this lengthy stretch of time forward as an opportunity to get higher and be extra ready for a possible season within the spring?
KR: Identical to the lengthy break earlier than the autumn semester, I feel these two months give us all an opportunity to get higher on daily basis. Each staff is in the identical place so if we take this opportunity and attempt to get probably the most out of it, I feel we may be profitable within the spring.
TQ: How will your coaching differ this winter break than previously?
KR: My coaching will most likely look similar to the summer time, simply because COVID-19 continues to be affecting our communities so significantly. However, as an alternative of previous years the place I spend as a lot time taking part in volleyball as attainable, I’ll as an alternative attempt to work on my endurance and sustaining energy from this fall.
