BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – With the cancellation of spring seasons and students taking their classes remotely our student-athletes have some extra time on their hands and are spending their time learning at home. During this time we wanted to check in with our student-athlete advisory committee officers and see what they are up to and talk to them about why they chose Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the first place.

What has it been like adjusting to taking classes remotely/online?

              Co-President Lucia Buzzell (Softball) – "Adjusting to classes at home has been tough. Meeting deadlines on assignments is difficult with so much going on around me. I have found myself making more in-depth to-do lists and setting aside specific times during the day to get my tasks and assignments done"

               Co-President George Lampros (Football) – "There has been a learning curve for sure. At first, some of the professors were trying to make up for lost time which was demanding on both parties. The hardest part is not being able to learn the material face-to-face. The professors are quick to respond to emails and requests and that has been very helpful.

               Vice President Anna Deely (Women's Soccer & Lacrosse) – "Without being on campus focusing most of my time to academics and athletics I found at first it was difficult to stick to a routine. But, getting up early and managing my time has made that routine easier to create."

               Treasurer Brady Baily (Football & Track and Field) – "The workload has been the same but I miss seeing my professors, classmates and shipmates. Staring at a computer screen 4-5 hours a day is not a enjoyable or engaging as a regular class. I never thought I would say I would miss going to class but I do."

What difficulties are you having adjusting your routine?

               "Even though on campus I am much busier, I found it hard at first to change my routine because of the free time. At school I know I have a full schedule and have everything planned out. Being at home makes it tougher to prioritize tasks." – Lucia Buzzell

               "Getting myself up in the morning and doing work in my room all day gets boring. I had a hard time motivating myself to start my work in the morning. Having the regiment and morning formation got me up and going and ready to be productive. Being able to do a lot of things on my own time has hindered that productivity at times. – Brady Bailey

Without classes, the regiment and sports, what are you doing to keep yourself busy when not doing classwork?

               "Other than yardwork or going for a walk, if I have been stuck in the house all day I may go for a drive just to get out. I also like old movies and video games so that has kept me busy." – George Lampros

               "I have been watching a lot of Netflix, cooking and playing chess." – Anna Deely

How did you learn about Massachusetts Maritime Academy when you were in High School?

               "My path to MMA was different than most. I transferred to the Academy after one semester at Springfield College. At Springfield I quickly realized the normal college experience wasn't for me. I heard about MMA from a friend and decided to make a change. Even though it can be tough sometimes I have never regretted it." – Brady Bailey

               "I grew up on Cape Cod and always loves the campus. I also knew I wanted to be an engineer for a long time." – Anna Deely

               "Jeremy Cameron and the Buccaneers were the first program that recruited me in high school. During my junior season I got an email from some of the coaches at MMA saying they were looking forward to seeing me play at school. That was back when Kyle Johnston and I were playing at Bridgewater-Raynham, so I am sure they were coming to see him play. But, after the game I got another email saying that they were impressed by my performance. The summer before my senior year I went to kicking camp that was hosted by MMA and got a chance to spend a few days on campus. Coaches continued to come to my games during my senior year and I was set on being a Buccaneer." – George Lampros

What is your favorite memory on the field as a Buccaneer?

               "My favorite memory from my time here is when we won our first MASCAC softball game in 13 years my freshman year and our coach at the time, Coach Humphrey, a graduate of the Academy, showed up to our next game in her dress whites." – Lucia Buzzell

               "2019 season when we beat SUNY Maritime in the Chowder Bowl on our Friday night season opener. I think there are two things that made this special for me. One, this was the first time we have beaten SUNY in my career as a Buc. The second, it was our first game in our new red, white and blue jerseys. The energy around the locker room was high from the moment we walked in to the locker room that afternoon until the final whistle. I will remember that game for a long time." – George Lampros

               "When we went to the playoffs in the 2019 lacrosse season for the second time in the history of the program. That season was our first winning season ever." – Anna Deely

How does what you learn in the regiment help you in your sport?

               "The regiment has instilled discipline into my daily life and this has reflected in athletics as well. One of the big takeaways from the regiment has been how I have learned to act professionally. I have taken this to the field by doing my best to be a good sport at all times. Everyone at the Academy acts with complete class on the field." –Brady Bailey

               "Always lead by example if you want to get things done as a teammate." – Anna Deely

               "Being in the regiment teaches you a lot of things that you may otherwise not get the chance to learn until later in life. During your freshman year you have a very busy schedule, for a young 18-19 year-old this can often be a brand-new lifestyle. I think that this teaches young cadets how to be more disciplined and to be more focused on the task at hand. What I mean is that I learned how to put down the Xbox controller and close down whatever show I was watching until I have finished my work. It also teaches you how to lead." – George Lampros

For more information on a specific sport at the academy please visit that team's page on our website, mmabucs.com.