“Sports for Life is a competition for our Life Skill students.” says Sara Testerman, Teacher. Testerman is a Paraeducator at North Harford and helps out the students with the competition. Students are offered 3 sports to take part in. “This year [they] did virtual bowling.  Starting this week [they] are having in person and virtual corn hole.  The next sport to be offered is kickball/field games.” Sports for Life holds practices and at the end of the season they hold “a tournament involving all participating high schools in Harford County.” The students who participate also get a certification at the end of the season.

     “During January and February HCPS held a virtual Sports for Life Bowling season this year.” Katherine Lambert, adaptive physical education teacher says. HCPS was “the only county in the state of Maryland to hold a Sports for Life winter season.”

     Students who participated “This year haven’t so far had a tournament that include other schools but hoping that kickball will be”says Testerman.  Sports for life member, Korteny Dongarra, says that her “virtual bowling competition was very different from the in person competition.” her ability to hit a strike was significantly more difficult and harder. Cornhole being the next sport the club is going to play, Dongarra has already “bought [her] own mini cornhole set off amazon to practice with.”

     Dongarra says her favorite part about sports for life is “making new friends and spending time with my classmates.” Dongarra says she is “sad that she cannot compete with other schools.” Dongarra plans on to continue to play cornhole into next year and adds that she would “like to play frisbee, especially when its nice outside”

     Club member Gwendolyn Sansbury who did not participate in virtual bowling  says for her “cornhole is a lot of fun!” the COVID friendly game consists of socially distancing in the hallway, Sansbury says in order to stay safe from COVID they took precautions like “each player [receiving] their own set of bags that were put in ziplock baggies for easy cleaning”

     Sansbury says she feels upset about “not being able to compete with other schools” or “meet new people and see old friends.” Sainsburys favorite part about participating was “working with people in the school.” as Sansbury last year at north harford approaches her favorite sport to play was bocce ball.