After missing a year because of COVID, Chicago City Day School's student athletes are back on the field and court.
Team sports resumed this fall at City Day with girls volleyball and boys soccer, both of which recently finished their seasons. City Day's boys and girls basketball teams are playing now, and girls soccer and boys volleyball will start up in the spring. Students in grades 5 and up are eligible to play on the school's teams.
"The return of team sports to City Day this fall has been truly uplifting," Head of School Chris Dow said. "It has been a real pleasure hearing the squeak of sneakers on the gym floor, the cheers of parents, and the encouraging chatter of the students as they return to competition."
City Day's coaches say they, too, are delighted to see student athletes competing again. Page Dow, who coaches volleyball, said that in addition to teaching skills like self-discipline and resilience, team sports provide an important mentorship opportunity.
"I love seeing the older students teach and support the younger ones," Mrs. Dow said. "And sports are a great outlet for children, especially during the middle school years. They learn to work together in a social setting that’s different from anything else they get in a classroom."
As with everything else this school year, City Day is taking considerable safety precautions with its sports teams. Athletes wear masks while competing, and transportation to away games is being handled differently to ensure proper distancing.
The effort is well worth it, as the resumption of competitive sports has generated excitement among the larger school community, City Day coaches say.
"It has been very nice to finally see a return to normalcy," said Gary Matthews, who coaches basketball. "This is a testament to the the job that the school has been doing as a whole, as well as the other schools in the CAMS athletic conference. Without a concentrated effort by all schools, none of this would be possible."
See photos of our sports teams in action below.
