Members of the Cabrini basketball teams are preparing for an unusual winter break.
Unlike most years, members of the teams will get to go home for break upon the conclusion of the fall semester. The teams typically stay on campus for games and practices throughout winter break, outside of a roughly week-long break from basketball that begins around Dec. 20 each season.
With the 2020-2021 season currently delayed due to the pandemic and not beginning until January at the earliest, this winter break will include much more time at home and much less organized basketball for Cavaliers players.
“I am happy to be home longer,” Malik Bailey, a sophomore forward on the men’s team, said. “However, I wish we were back to the normal schedule of practices so we can get better as a team and win more games.”
Other players seemed to echo the same sentiment, being glad to spend more time with family near the holidays, but feeling that they are missing out on key moments of the basketball season.
Hannah Fenstermacher, a sophomore guard on the women’s team, said, “It’s nice to be home with my family and get a real holiday break, however, it’s definitely different not playing or being with my team, especially in the busiest time of our season.”
Losing the basketball activities of winter break could serve as a challenge for the teams when — or if — they come back and play this season. It usually provides the players with an opportunity to improve chemistry, both on and off the court.
“Winter break is usually our time to bond as a team and do fun activities and dinners,” senior women’s team forward Brianna Blair said. “So, it really stinks that we’re going to be missing out on that aspect, along with missing out on games and a traditional season.”
Blair emphasized the difficulty of not having this portion of the season together with her team.
“It just goes to show that we should never take things like games, practices or locker room pre-game talks for granted,” she said.
Even without being with the other members of their teams, the players
plan on working to stay ready for whenever the season may take place. The teams hope to start practicing again in January, but nothing at this point is set in stone. Players such as men’s team senior forward Billy Warren will look to be prepared over break despite all the uncertainty.
“As of now, we don’t know about our season and if it will happen,” he said. “We’re just trying to stay in the best shape we can and just practice and train on our own as if the season will happen.”
