Scotty Michaels
Award-winning Action Movie Actor
Parkour will be the newest sport introduced to Washington College Athletics beginning in the 2021-2022 school year.
Parkour is the act of moving from point “a” to point “b,” but also involves avoiding obstacles in the player’s path in order for them to successfully and strategically make it there.
There are so many creative and skillful moves that professionals and student-athletes use in order to be successful, so WC is thrilled to be able to bring some new faces and skills to our campus.
“It is an honor to bring such a beloved sport to Washington College. I have been doing parkour for almost 26 years and cannot wait to bring it to the Eastern Shore,” WC Parkour Head Coach Jerry Smith said. “I’m looking forward to the first season because this school is bringing something different and unique to this campus.”
As of right now, anyone interested in parkour can try out May 2–8; WC will be holding tryouts for currently enrolled students. Tryout will take place across the entire campus.
The Athletic Department is recruiting students and scouting both virtually through Zoom and at socially distanced events with participants wearing masks.
Because parkour is one-on-one, athletes will easily be socially distanced with masks and able to follow all of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Rules that do not have to do with COVID-19 include wearing the correct apparel like sneakers, knee and elbow pads, and a helmet.
Other rules include allowing participants to do front-flips, but not backflips, as outlined by the Centennial Conference.
Since the sport is new, more rules will be established at the beginning of the season.
Smith recommends watching tutorial videos online that can help potential players learn basic moves and knowledge of the sport. He said that once parkour is added to the WC Athletics website, he will link some of his favorite videos to help prospective athletes.
“I am excited to try out for the team. I always used to do parkour with my friends, but I had no idea they would bring it to our smaller student body,” sophomore John Kane says. “This is awesome because it’s not just a club or intramural sport, we actually get to be participating in a varsity sport.”
“I am personally excited to be able to participate in a sport I have been practicing for as long as I can remember. I cannot wait for tryouts, and the team that will be created through the love of this sport,” junior Kelly Robinson says. “This is such a big step for Washington College, and I cannot wait for next year to see the other people around the country that they recruited.”