By Andy Loigu

The show must go on!

In order for life to continue with some sense of normalcy, academic institutions with Division I sports programs, such as nearby Lafayette College, have decided to let the games continue. In accordance with NCAA guidelines developed to ensure every participating athlete, coach, trainer, official and everybody else in the building remains safe from the COVID pandemic during the winter season, Hali Aussems, a 2007 Hackettstown High School graduate, has expanded her duties as a certified assistant athletic trainer at Lafayette.

“It’s really exciting to have basketball going on at College Hill,” she said after Boston University edged the Leopards to end a five-game winning streak in Patriot League men’s basketball on Saturday at Kirby Field House in Easton, Pennsylvania. Staying sheltered, I watched the game in the living room on television and contacted Hali online, to learn more about what is done to make sure the games are played safely.

“All members of the overall Lafayette campus community must wear masks while inside any campus building and outside if social distancing is not possible,” she said. “Additionally, if one does test positive, the College has specifically designated housing to keep that person quarantined from the general population.” It is involved and challenging, she said, “but the COVID response team is doing a dedicated job.”

Aussems has earned a master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University in athletic training and bachelor’s degrees from Rutgers in several areas, including applied kinesiology which is a tremendously difficult field of study. She has served Lafayette since 2015, supporting all 23 of the Leopards’ varsity sports programs.

She is responsible for travel coverage for cross country and men’s soccer in the fall, women’s basketball in the winter, plus track and field in the spring.
Her duties include preparation for games and practices, evaluations of athletes’ injury severity, treatment and rehab following programs she develops that are appropriate based on the evaluations, and lots of charts, documentation, and necessary paperwork. There’s no getting away from paperwork in modern America.

She grew up in a family that has been involved in multiple high school sports over the years in Tigertown, while also earning academic honors, and still follows the doings at HHS with interest. Once a Tiger, always a Tiger, but also helping out the Leopards, keeping it in the big cat family.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.