None of the more than 200 Southern New Hampshire University winter and spring student-athletes that were still competing thought their seasons would draw to a close March 12. But no one could have foreseen the spread of COVID-19 forcing the Northeast-10 Conference to suspend competition until April 13 or the NCAA needing to cancel all winter and spring championships later that day. In keeping with state and federal public health guidelines, the NE10 extended its suspension through the end of the spring season of competition and canceled spring championships six days later on March 18. The NCAA approved a blanket waiver for all student-athletes participating in spring sports to be able to extend their eligibility for an extra year, but, depending on circumstances surrounding each individual student-athlete, the seniors may have not just seen their seasons cut short, but their entire careers suddenly wrapped up. While most people's thoughts were with the players and coaches whose seasons had just abruptly ended, everyone felt for the seniors that might not step foot on the field, court, green or stage again. With enough time passing for sadness to begin moving toward acceptance, we thought we would check in with our seniors from each affected team and let them, in their own words, talk about how they felt when they heard the news, how they have been keeping busy and what might be next. In our second installment, we hear from men's lacrosse senior, Anthony Milano.
Finding the correct words to start something like this has served to be difficult. I have so many things I would like to say, people to thank, and memories to mention. I feel that although dealing with the sudden cancellation of me and my fellow seniors' seasons has become easier, it still has not fully set in.
We went to morning practice during spring break, reported to lift, and within hours from that, our season was over. No closure, no senior night, no final game. Coming to terms with that for a lot of seniors is very tough. Being used to a season or career ending with a final game, regardless of when that is, is something athletes are accustomed to. The harsh reality is that even though we are awarded an additional year of eligibility, a ton of us already have jobs lined up and new adventures ahead of us. This experience has shown me that being a part of a sports team truly is more than wins and losses. It's about the memories, bonds, and overall life lessons being an athlete offers us. The endless movie trips, dinner dates and hangout sessions outside of practice have created brothers I will have for the rest of my life.
I myself am undecided on what my future holds, but I do know that playing an additional year will not be the same without the men I started this with. Every teammate will be a life-long friend, but the people in your class that you come into this journey with will always be the closest. I wish every senior: #4, #9, #21, #24 and #35 the best of luck with their next chapter, whether they choose to play again or not, and I know we'll be in touch constantly.
Choosing SNHU is something I will forever be grateful for, and having the honor of being a team captain for three years is something I will never forget. This is never the way I thought my (possible) final season of lacrosse would end, but this game has given me more than I ever would have imagined. It has shaped me into the person I am today and driven me to people I consider to be my dearest friends. Thank you to every teammate and coach I've ever had. Family Forever.
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Previous Installments
In Their Own Words: Maddy Barone (March 23)
