Normally reporting from Lynah Rink, Newman Arena and other athletic facilities, Luke Pichini ’22, assistant sports editor, now interviews and writes remotely from home. The coronavirus pandemic has upended the way the sports department works, but has also created opportunities to think outside the box.
1. It must be heartbreaking to speak to student athletes and coaches who had to abruptly end their seasons due to the COVID-19 outbreak. What were some of the memorable conversations you have had?
I’d say one of the most memorable conversations I had was in the immediate aftermath of the Ivy League canceling spring sports. That was the day in which the COVID-19 outbreak was wreaking havoc in the sports world, and it was truly a hectic time. When I was composing the story, I secured a phone call with a junior athlete on the sailing team. She was very emotional about the season’s cancelation and expressed her remorse for the seniors on the team. One of the main themes she expressed was the fact that while this possibility was in the back of her mind, she never thought that it would actually happen. I think many of us can relate to that sentiment as the outbreak was shaping into a pandemic.
2. Given the unprecedented circumstances, what will sports coverage look like going forward?
Sports coverage will certainly be different. Given the slew of cancellations, there are no games or matches that we can report on. Rather, what we can do is shift from a more recap-based approach to more creative articles. There is still some end-of-season news to report, such as awards for the men’s and women’s hockey players. We have also been churning out season recaps for several sports. But with a lot more free time, we can start to think outside the box. This includes embracing features, highlighting a specific player or idea. With this type of content, we are still able to upload articles a few times a week.