For Marconi’s Chris Hatfield the stay-at-home restrictions came at the most inopportune of times, having found his feet in the NPL NSW Men’s Competition after missing so many games due to injury.
Having spent a lot of time in lockdown in Melbourne last year, the Stallions’ attacker is eager to get back on the pitch and continue to make an impact for his team.
“I missed so many weeks due to injury and obviously that wasn’t the plan coming to Marconi but since I’ve since I’ve come back, I think it’s been pretty good,” he explained.
“I suppose as a whole the team would have been expecting to do better this season and it’s disappointing the COVID has hit when it has because I think that we were probably just starting to really find our feet.”
Despite the bad timing, this lockdown is a little different from the last, being back at home with his family.
“I think I’ve got enough experience because I spent the whole year in lockdown in Melbourne last year so I’m a bit of a lockdown veteran.
“I’d say that it’s been a lot easier so far this time because last year I was living in Melbourne with my girlfriend and we weren’t with our families, but at least this time I’m living back at home with my parents which makes it a lot easier to kind of keep the sanity and just spending time with my girlfriend, when possible, makes it a lot easier.”
Despite not regularly seeing his Marconi teammates as he usually would, Hatfield explained that the team is staying in contact through their group chat.
“It’s always going to be more difficult because you can’t actually go out and spend time with them, but we do have a group chat on WhatsApp and we all stay in contact.
“Whenever something’s happening in the sporting world, we’re talking about it or getting updates about COVID and staying in touch.
“It has been difficult going from seeing them so often to just to just having that sort of contact – it’s tough.”
While the club has provided the team with training programs, the focus is on staying motivated to keep working hard in the current climate of uncertainty.
“It is more difficult, mostly on the motivation side, because it can get a bit tough being home all the time.
“We’ve all got training programs and the physical side of things we’re staying on top of.
“It’s just up to the boys personally to stay motivated and if everyone really wants to then they’re going to be pushing hard during this time period.”
Looking forward to the remainder of the season, Hatfield explained that the team has to talent and potential to make the finals.
“I think for everyone in the club the goal is to make the finals, I know that’s what it is for me and that’s what the coaches have discussed with the players.
“That means winning every single game from now on and I think we definitely have the squad to do that.
“We just need to continue to work hard and hopefully everyone’s doing what they can during this period of time to make sure they stay on top of it.”
-By Madeline Riley