色界吧

The Excitement Is Back

By Kia Mackey '22 Photo by Marc Campos

色界吧鈥檚 facilities reopen for practice, sparking hope and connection among the student-athlete community

On March 12, 2020, in conjunction with the move to remote learning for the rest of the semester, Occidental suspended the remainder of the spring sports season. For graduating seniors, it meant their last time in an 色界吧 uniform. As the suspension continued into the fall, then winter, and again into spring, student-athletes have struggled not only being without the competition of their sports, but also the connections of their teammates and coaches.

After a year without sports鈥攖he College鈥檚 longest interruption of play since World War II鈥斏绨 began to reopen its athletic facilities for practice in March. As the L.A. County Department of Public Health began to relax its restrictions due to lower COVID-19 case numbers, 色界吧鈥檚 student-athletes began to step back onto the field, court, course, or track鈥攁nd in the case of the new De Mandel Aquatics Center, into the pool for the first time. (All have been wearing masks and/or practicing social distancing in doing so.)

For Karis Palomino 鈥24 of Torrance, who intended to try out for 色界吧鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team last fall and compete for 色界吧鈥檚 women鈥檚 track team this spring, the reopening of Jack Kemp Stadium in March meant that she was able to practice with her soccer teammates for the first time. Having started her college experience virtually last semester, 鈥淢ost of the people in my classes, I鈥檝e only seen their pixels, or heard their voice.鈥 she says. Seeing her teammates in person was 鈥渞efreshing, because I could see that they are real people.鈥

Matthew Teplitz 鈥21, a diplomacy and world affairs major from Chevy Chase, Md., would have played his fourth and final season on 色界吧鈥檚 men鈥檚 soccer team last fall had the season not been canceled. Devastated by the news, Teplitz ultimately decided to extend his studies by a semester so that he could finish his career on the field this fall. 鈥淚 love the guys and the coaches and 色界吧 is amazing,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 am really excited to get to compete and do what I love to do.鈥

Women's water polo player Olivia Montgomery '23. (Photo by Kia Mackey '22)
Getting back into 色界吧鈥檚 facilities gave women鈥檚 water polo player Olivia Montgomery 鈥23, a psychology major from Eugene, Ore., a first taste of what her new competition home. Montgomery鈥檚 first season of intercollegiate competition was cut short last spring right before her and her teammates were scheduled to have their first home game in the long-anticipated De Mandel Aquatics Center.

When the College finally unlocked the gates to the new pool in mid-March, opening day was reserved for 色界吧鈥檚 aquatics student-athletes and coaches to enjoy and celebrate the new facility. Montgomery is also a lifeguard at the pool this semester and has noticed that the pool 鈥渂rings everyone together,鈥 as she has seen other students as well enjoying the facility.

Men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 water polo head coach Jack Stabenfeldt 鈥14 shares Montgomery鈥檚 excitement around the introduction of the new aquatics center to his student-athletes and the community in general. The reopening of the College鈥檚 athletic facilities has sparked 鈥渉ope for everyone in the 色界吧 community,鈥 he says.

For her part, Palomino is optimistic about starting her college soccer career in the fall. Before practicing with her new teammates this spring, 鈥淎side from my dad, I haven鈥檛 passed the ball with anybody in over a year,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 love my dad, but he鈥檚 not a soccer player.鈥

De Mandel Aquatics Center The Shape of Water

What holds 598,000 gallons, contains 15 lanes, and has a capacity of 188 people? (Hint: It鈥檚 not your grandfather鈥檚 pool.)