Soccer in the era of a pandemic
By John McCurley
Every spring, hundreds of Wellesley kids get outside and play soccer. However, due to COVID-19, that didn’t happen this year. Instead, Wellesley United has gone digital. Wellesley United is a non-profit soccer club that is run and coached by professional coaches, many of whom also coach the New England Revolution, and volunteers. The organization focuses on getting kids excited about sports, teaching them about teamwork, and enhancing fitness and ball mastery skills. Through social media platforms such as Zoom and Instagram, coaches are able to continue to communicate with and train players during quarantine.
“We have been looking at a number of ways to communicate with our players throughout COVID-19 and had to get our research done as quickly as possible so that our players can stay active and continue to get touch on the ball,” said Dale Carr, Wellesley United coach and travel director. Coaches are posting weekly videos of themselves doing training sessions on social media. Wellesley United’s club program, Wellesley Premier League, has weekly team meetings and fitness sessions over Zoom. Also, on Wellesley United’s instagram, there are a number of challenges such as the trash bin challenge. Players submitted videos of themselves using their skills to get a soccer ball in the trash.
Two Wellesley soccer players are using their skills to help out other nonprofit organizations during quarantine. “The Burnham sisters have been producing online live sessions for our players to raise money for the Wellesley food Pantry. We have supported this by putting it up on our social media to raise awareness. The sisters raised $500 over the course of 5 weeks,” said Carr.
Even though the spring season was cancelled, Carr said that through zoom meetings and at home practice sessions players have continued to stay fit and practice ball mastery. With the arrival of phase two in Massachusetts’ reopening plan, fields are now partially open, but many restrictions still remain. Summer and Fall soccer programs are still uncertain, but when soccer returns, Wellesley United players will be ready.
“We have been looking at a number of ways to communicate with our players throughout COVID-19 and had to get our research done as quickly as possible so that our players can stay active and continue to get touch on the ball,” said Dale Carr, Wellesley United coach and travel director. Coaches are posting weekly videos of themselves doing training sessions on social media. Wellesley United’s club program, Wellesley Premier League, has weekly team meetings and fitness sessions over Zoom. Also, on Wellesley United’s instagram, there are a number of challenges such as the trash bin challenge. Players submitted videos of themselves using their skills to get a soccer ball in the trash.
Two Wellesley soccer players are using their skills to help out other nonprofit organizations during quarantine. “The Burnham sisters have been producing online live sessions for our players to raise money for the Wellesley food Pantry. We have supported this by putting it up on our social media to raise awareness. The sisters raised $500 over the course of 5 weeks,” said Carr.
Even though the spring season was cancelled, Carr said that through zoom meetings and at home practice sessions players have continued to stay fit and practice ball mastery. With the arrival of phase two in Massachusetts’ reopening plan, fields are now partially open, but many restrictions still remain. Summer and Fall soccer programs are still uncertain, but when soccer returns, Wellesley United players will be ready.
John McCurley is a participant of the First to the Frontpage Summer of 2020 program.