Published on: September 14, 2020

As the virus spreads across the globe, sports bodies are canceling or postponing events. As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has reached more than 29 million with more than 925k deaths, major sporting events have been canceled or postponed. Social distancing measures, brought in to limit the spread of coronavirus, have had a significant effect on sporting fixtures, local and professional. Even the biggest events, such as the Olympic Games, have had to be postponed.

These have been unexpected times. But seeing all of the measures we’ve undergone to prevent coronavirus has made us reflect a little bit. There are a lot of lessons we should take from the uncertainty. And we’ll be better for it. Here are a few we could think of:

Let’s just face it. This is the reality none of us were expecting. There may even be some long-lasting changes that continue for years to come. It’s all unprecedented and nothing is certain when it comes to the future. All we can do is accept it, adjust ourselves, and act accordingly. Things will work themselves out, and we will get through this.

Good hygiene practices such as washing your hands regularly, avoiding touching your face, eyes, or mouth, as well as wiping down surfaces are always great steps to improve your health and the health of others - even after we COVID-19 gets under control. We would be wise to always make that part of our lifestyle. And in the meantime, let’s also take the steps outlined by the WHO (social distancing and wearing a mask).

Another one of the strongest measures we can take against COVID-19 is improving our bodies' ability to fight back diseases. This would be a great time to take those steps, regardless of how low or high risk we are. Eat healthy foods, take multivitamins, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, and exercise. These basic practices will improve our immune systems and overall health. Being the healthiest you can dramatically reduce the virus’s chances.

There’s a lot of people whose jobs, hobbies, school or sports are very restricted right now. Now is a great time to try something new. It’s enriching to learn about something else. Our brains actually love it. Exploring new interests will also help you be a more well-rounded person, and can help keep your life in balance. And when the time comes for us to jump back into water polo at 100%, you’ll feel a little more refreshed.

COVID-19 has impacted everyone in difficult ways. We’re all affected by it, and we’re all adjusting to this new way of life. Frustrations are understandable, and it’s easy to look for people around us to blame. But a more healthy approach than blaming would be to realize that the people around you also have had major inconveniences in their life because of coronavirus. That will make it easier to remember that we’re all on the same team. As a water polo club, we see this pandemic as an opportunity to facilitate an environment of transparency, selflessness, communication, support. We see it as an opportunity to grow closer to each other and as individuals. This can help people sense of being a part of something that goes beyond competition. These are our goals at Patriot Aquatics. And we know that we can take these same lessons and apply them to relationships that go beyond our aquatics club.

Our thoughts are with all of you and your families at this time. Stay safe, stay healthy.