Two seniors, Bridget Barry and Mary Catherine Hanafee LaPlante, had to make a tough decision about whether to continue playing softball their senior year. 

Both of them had to make this decision this year because of COVID-19; the softball season goes into the summer with the adjusted sports schedule, after their graduation on May 19. In Laplante’s case, she is choosing to do lacrosse instead this year because both the softball and lacrosse seasons are going on at the same time. 

Because of COVID-19, spring sports will not stop before the end of the school year as they have in previous years; instead, they will continue well into June, ending after the seniors graduate. Many seniors must decide whether to continue with their sport or abandon it in order to prepare for college.

“I chose to not play because I wanted to focus on college,” Barry said. “I wanted to get a job to help pay for things in college. If the season didn’t go through June, I probably would’ve still played this year.”

Barry had a long conversation with her parents about whether she would continue playing softball her senior year. 

“I sat down with them and we just talked about what the senior season would look like and decided that it was too crazy with everything else going on,” Barry said. “They told me to do whatever I wanted and whatever would be best for me.” 

LaPlante also had to make a difficult decision this year. She questioned whether she should still play softball this year or play lacrosse instead, which she had played ever since she was little.

“COVID had a big impact on my decision,” LaPlante said. “It was hard to pick one sport to do, but I think I picked the right one for me.”

LaPlante ended up choosing lacrosse due to her coach’s recommendation, but when you do a sport, you create so many memories with your team, and it can be hard to leave.

“My favorite memory playing softball was definitely the bus rides we would have going to and from games. We would blast music in the bus and just have fun. We would stop for food or ice cream on the way home and everyone got so close,” Barry said. 

When you are with the same people for more than three years, you can see your teammates and coaches as a part of your family. 

Due to COVID-19, the softball season started later on than it should’ve, forcing Barry and many other athletes to drop it despite her passion for the sport.

“I was sad once I quit because I’ve been playing since I was six,” Barry said. “It was a bittersweet moment for me. It has been a part of my life for a long time. I feel like I was jutted out of my senior season and it was disappointing.”