Atypical athletics

It all started because he was allergic to outdoor mold and cats. As a way to avoid his allergens, Timothy Bergal ’22 joined a “Learn to Skate” program at five-years-old. After elevating his skills with a private teacher, Bergal realized the difficulties that arise from learning more advanced skills like jumps. “I think the learning curve is very difficult. When you start learning, it’s ...

At first glance, it appears to be a typical football game. The players run, cradle a ball and tackle each other. Looking closer, however, you see that the way the players toss the ball to each other is unlike many have seen before: it’s thrown in every direction but forward. This isn’t a game of football. It’s rugby. For Mason Dains ’20, this spectacle is a normal part of his daily routin...

If one rower on the team zones out and doesn’t match the strokes of the rest of the team, the boat could flip over. If an oar gets caught on some underwater plants, the boat could flip over. If it’s a rainy and windy day and the boat fills with water, yet again, it could flip over.  Rowing is one of the few sports that requires constant communication and collaboration between crew members...

The fear of heights is one of the most common phobias in the world. It’s not a problem individuals usually have to face, but if you rock climb on a regular basis, you may be in for some trouble. Unlike many, however, Ethan Buck ’21 has not let his fear of heights overcome him. Since he first started climbing at the age of 10, his fear was a major obstacle to his improvement, but he has been ...

Alone, cross country is demanding enough. Now take biking and mash the two together. Then, just throw some mud, hills and barriers into the mix. Finally, you’ve got cyclocross. Luke Arens ’21 has faced this challenging mash-up in person. Often regarded as one of the toughest forms of cycling, cyclocross features a variety of difficult obstacles that can trip up the racer. These include logs th...

The players zoom by on their skates, managing to maintain their balance while also having incredibly accurate aim when passing and shooting the puck. Hockey is one of the most action-packed sports that requires many skills to master. Chris Pigge ’21 first got into hockey after his father played it as a child and encouraged him to try it out. He enjoys the exhilarating environment that it prov...