By: Meridyth Sanders ’21, co-editor in chief
MAC athletics are officially suspended until January 2021, leaving LVC’s fall student-athletes in an unprecedented situation.
Everything will look a little different this semester as LVC and the rest of the world adapts and makes changes in the midst of a global pandemic. For fall sport athletes, this creates a unique opportunity to practice and meet as a group without the added pressure and competition of going head-to-head with other athletes from different schools in official matches.
Head women’s basketball coach Amy Sokaitis is already planning how to keep her team united under the new, strange circumstances.
“In order to keep morale up we will have to get creative in terms of competitions and games we can play while still socially distancing,” Sokaitis said. “The big key will be to see small growth as big successes and keep perspective on why we are out here working on basketball.”
Most coaches informed their athletes of the cancelled fall 2020 sports season just before President Dr. James McLaren and Director of Athletics Rick Beard sent out an official email detailing the reasons behind the MAC presidents’ decision. The email explained the logistical and ethical dilemmas a fall sports season would entail.
There is potential for fall athletes to have their regular season in the spring of 2021, as the NCAA is prepared to be more flexible in eligibility requirements and playing seasons.
“The change in calendar and fall plans will provide us with somewhat of a non-traditional season, which will certainly take some getting used to,” Sokaitis said. “However, we plan to strength-train throughout the fall and begin on-court workouts on October 1.”
For now, athletes are left to practice and grow together as a team while taking a hiatus from competition with other schools to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.