COURTNEY McCLURE, for The Standard
NORTH DURHAM: Kate Van Camp, age 20, is the junior captain of Western University’s volleyball team. Kate is studying psychology and is going into her third year this September. Before entering Western University in London, Ontario, she attended Port Perry High School and was a resident of Nestleton. During the second week of March, Kate said Western University had almost completely shut down and moved online. “Exams got really messed up,” she said. “The teachers didn’t know what to do, and it was all kind of a mess, but we got through it.” Going into the summer, Kate, her classmates, and her volleyball teammates did not know what was going to happen come the fall of this year. Now they have more of an idea of what to expect. For Kate’s program, they will hold some of her labs in person, and in smaller groups. The lecture components of her classes will be hosted online. Along with her lectures and labs, Western’s girls’ volleyball team is allowed to train on campus, but there are a lot of rules and precautions the girls have to take while practicing. “I’m sure it will take a bit to get used to,” she added. When the girls are not on the court, they have to wear a mask and they are not allowed to have their water bottles in proximity to one another. “Last year, on water breaks, we would all huddle up and be right beside each other,” she explained. “It’s just so different from what it was before.” For the first semester, the team will just be training because they are not allowed to compete in any competitions yet. Throughout the summer, the team held meeting via Zoom to practice a bit and do team workout sessions. “It’s kind of funny, all of us doing it on our own, but we are connected through the screen,” she commented. The team knows they will be running for the next couple of months, Kate said. They are waiting to hear if they will be able to play after the new year. She is assuming the team will receive an answer by January first. “I love my family to death, but I’m definitely excited to go back and see everyone at school, again.” shared Kate in closing.