Special report: West Essex athletes square off against COVID-19

During this unprecedented season, sports teams, both professional and high school have faced setbacks and roadblocks along the way. Within West Essex, in person classes and athletic activities were shut down on Oct. 9 after positive tests for coronavirus were discovered within the district. This required all athletic practices, games and events to be postponed for two weeks following the positive te...

Spirit. Although a singular short word, the word “spirit” encapsulates West Essex athletes and fans. Whether it’s the thunderous stomps on the bleachers to create energy that ripples throughout the stadium, going all out for the football Blackouts and Redouts or just cheering for the teams, our community greatly contributes to making the West Essex sports atmosphere unlike any other schools. Un...

Before even stepping onto the court, the girls volleyball team was bested by their greatest opponent: the coronavirus. With COVID-19 cases on the rise, the team fell victim to the state crackdown on indoor fall sports. Rather than completely cancelling the season however, the state of New Jersey mandated that all high school indoor fall sports, including volleyball and gymnastics, must postpone their...

The seniors of 2021 have been facing the toughest matchup this season both on and off the field: the common opponent COVID-19. The pandemic has not only brought a challenge to these athletes beyond the school environment but on their home turf. Despite all of the uncertainty COVID-19 has created in the 2020 fall season, the one that impacted these athletes the most was the brief pause of their sea...

Success in athletics, figuratively, is almost an undefined line. There is no definite composition of what makes a team successful, as it varies per scenario and per sport. However, on an undefined line, one thing remains unchanged: team chemistry. The most decorated teams in sports have a bond like no other, spearheading their journey to the promised land.  But as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the w...