Fall sports adjust to COVID-19

CSB/SJU athletes and administration have described an eerie feeling surrounding sports programs this fall.

The global nightmare that is COVID-19 is making its presence felt at CSB/SJU. Students are on edge, trying to remain diligent in minimizing the spread, while longing for the college experience pre-pandemic.

The CSB/SJU campuses and athletic teams have recently seen an increase in positive cases and the entire community is trying to manage this unprecedented situation.

As of Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, the school reports that 130 people are in quarantine or isolation. 50 people are quarantined off campus, and 35 are quarantined on campus. There are also 23 in isolation off-campus, and 22 in isolation on campus. This does include athletes.

CSB/SJU athletics have been particularly affected as their seasons still loom in question. The original plan was for CSB/SJU sports teams to temporarily cancel all athletic practices for 2 weeks. This was announced on Monday, Sept. 22. However, now some teams are planning on holding practices in groups of 10 or less for the short term.

Each team is still learning what their respective seasons will look like with the coronavirus looming around every corner. Whether it be practicing in divided pods, or trying to orchestrate team gatherings in groups of 10 or less, coaches have been forced to get creative.

Some sports teams cite they have only met on Zoom with their teams so far this academic year. John Haws, SJU head soccer coach, highlights this as one of the biggest challenges caused by the pandemic.

“One of the biggest difficulties is the inability to meet as a team,” Haws said. The soccer team has utilized Zoom for many team activities, but it has a much different feel than meeting in person.

The soccer team is one of the SJU athletic teams with an outbreak of cases among their squad. The SJU golf team has also found itself halting practice because a few players tested positive.

“You’re not looking everybody eye-to-eye. You can’t get a feel if there’s an understanding about the issues COVID presents before moving on to the next subject. The dynamic is just different,” Haws said.

COVID-19 spreads fast which presents quite the challenge for athletic teams as they try to prepare for their upcoming season and sanitation issues.

“As coaches, we have to find creative ways to limit sustained close contact between our student-athletes. This challenge has been heightened to fully eliminating sustained close contact during our current two-week campus plan,” Haws said.

Haws also noted they have been documenting everything in case someone becomes symptomatic, tests positive or has knowingly had close contact with someone who tested positive.

Coaches across all sport programs have been working hard to make sure they are keeping their student-athletes safe during training.

An abrupt end to Winter and Spring sports earlier this year has student-athletes itching to return to competition. Rachel Click, CSB head softball coach, is trying to help her athletes through these uncertain times.

“I feel strongly that trying to create some sense of normalcy with practices during this time is one of the best things we can do for our mental health,” Click said.

“With the ever-changing environment we are in, we keep telling those on the softball team to take everything one day at a time and control what you can control.”

Click goes on to say that it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, but it’s important to remember that we will all get through this. If anything, she says the challenges brought on by this pandemic has shown how tough our community really is.

“I try to spend more energy thinking about how resilient we are as a community. So much has been taken away from us, but now we’re given a new opportunity to embrace every day,” Haws said.