ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College women's crew began its 2020 season in Georgia for its annual spring break training trip. That quickly proved to be the only rowing the team would do this spring, as the season unexpectedly ended due to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had exactly one race - a scrimmage - before packing up and heading back to New York to begin a new normal.

Q&A with Allison Ritting – Women's Crew – Red Hill, Pa.
 
•  Can you talk about your personal progression through this season? High points, low points, and what you were excited for to accomplish personally as well as a team?

The team had been training for months to get to our current level of fitness. We went through an intense training period to build strength and endurance and prepare for being on the water. We had a lot of power and depth as a team this year and I was excited about our potential. As a team, we were ready to see how the season played out and how we compared with other top competitors. We were seeing boat speed during our first few days on the water that in the past we had not achieved until much later in the season. The NCAA Championship is always in the back of our minds so we were definitely looking forward to seeing what we could do this year at that level of competition. 
 
•  Talk about the days leading up to the news that the Championships/Season was announced to be canceled. Where were you competing? What was your mindset? What was the mindset of the team?
 
We were on our spring training trip in Gainesville, Georgia when we first heard that other leagues were canceling competitions. I had a gut feeling that the Liberty League would be making a similar decision, but I was holding out hope since the NCAA championship was still being held at the time. We focused on staying in the moment and continued practicing with just as much conviction, knowing we were still working towards the championship. It felt like we were in a bubble, separate from everything that was going on at the time. Eventually, we got the news that the NCAA had canceled championships for all winter and spring sports. Every year that I have been on the team, our goal has been to place as high as possible at the NCAA championship. Without this end goal to look forward to it seemed like all of our hard work was lost. It was especially devastating as a senior captain. I went into my last year committed to putting everything I had into winning a national championship. It was hard to process that this was being taken away. Shortly after, the Liberty League canceled all competitions and practices as well, and all hope of having a season was gone. As a team, we did an incredible job of keeping our heads up, responding with resilience and making the most of the situation. I know that ultimately we were all very grateful to have gotten time on the water. 
 
•  What were your emotions/thoughts/feelings when you received the news that the Championships/Season was officially canceled?
 
I was initially shocked and devastated after hearing that the NCAA Championship was canceled. I could not believe that everything we had worked for was suddenly gone. Every practice, workout and lift was done with this end goal in mind. We committed to the work knowing that eventually it would pay off. It was devastating knowing we would no longer have a season to prove how hard we had worked. However, one of the biggest challenges throughout the situation was the uncertainty. Once we knew the decision, we had a definitive answer and could focus on adapting and overcoming.
 
• What happened next? Describe the aftermath of the situation. What happened in the days following?
 
As a team we had to take time to process the loss of something that was really important to all of us. We had spent so much time dedicating ourselves to a collective goal, and suddenly it was no longer there. However, there was also solidarity in knowing that all athletes across the country were in the same situation. As a team, we did a great job of staying positive and being grateful for the opportunities we had this year. We were very fortunate to have the chance to row on the water, since many teams did not get this opportunity. During our training trip, we were able to scrimmage other teams that were training at the same facility, and it was nice to have one final "race". We made the most of it and pulled hard knowing that they were the last strokes we would take this year. 
 
•  What comes next? How have you adjusted to the new situation? How have you mentally coped with the new reality? How have you stayed connected with the program and teammates while social distancing?
 
As a team, we have always been incredibly resilient and adaptable through adversity. I am really proud of how my team has handled the situation. We have shown support for one another and grown closer through the hardship. It is great to see everyone feeding off of each other to stay positive. We are still in contact through weekly meetings on Zoom and we have been sharing workouts to help each other stay motivated. It is great to stay connected and maintain a sense of normalcy as much as possible. Another thing that we have been doing as a team is putting one penny for each athlete into a jar every day to represent each day of our season that was lost. We intend to use the jar to signify the hard work everyone is now putting in on their own, and as a reminder of our love and gratitude for the sport.