NJCAA members promote health and safety
Student-athletes return to campus with new safety precautions
Charlotte, NC - Each year, the beginning of the fall semester marks an exciting time for NJCAA member colleges around the country. Student-athletes return to campus and move into their dorms. Coaches prepare practice plans, finalize season schedules, and plan team bonding activities. Administrators, sports information directors, and athletic trainers gear up for the whirlwind-year that each August brings. The beginning of the fall semester is filled with promise, excitement, and determination. For some, it is an opportunity for a fresh start from the previous year. For others, the fall presents new challenges to overcome and grow from.
Though many of these aspects of starting a new year will remain the same for the 2020-21 academic year, there will be many undeniable differences. Masks, social distancing, small group practice sessions, limited equipment sharing, and daily temperature checks are just a few of the differences that will be seen on the campuses of NJCAA member colleges this semester. New challenges have been presented for the 2020-21 academic year as well. How does a 120-player football team socially distance? How can coaches promote team bonding when teams are social distancing or even completing the semester virtually? How will student-athletes stay optimistic and prepared to compete in the spring semester? Despite the new challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presents, NJCAA coaches and administrators have implemented innovative solutions to ensure the health and safety of their student-athletes.
In a recent #NJCAAForward Panel Discussion, Navarro (TX) athletic director Michael Landers explained how the Bulldogs are addressing social distancing in their on-campus dorms.
"In the summer, and what we'll do next week, is we are dividing each of our sports teams into different pods. This past July, our football team was made up of eight different pods. We had 110 players split up into eight different pods. They had a coach assigned to each pod. That group lived together in their apartments on campus. They ate breakfast together. They had meetings together. They did workouts together. Everything they did was together in their group and they didn't cross any of the other groups for a period of 20 days. We are mainly trying to identify and lessen some of our risks. We are going to have a student that has come to campus that has been exposed and instead of having to shut down 100 football players at once, we can narrow it down to a group of 10 or 12 students in a pod. It allows us to monitor them a little bit better."
Navarro's trial-run during the summer session was so successful that the college's administration will be implementing the "pod" format as other groups, outside of athletics, return to campus for the fall semester.
Another example of creative problem-solving can be seen in Western Texas' cross country team. As men's and women's cross country and half marathon are the only championship sports competing in the NJCAA during the fall 2020 semester, the Westerners have implemented staggered start times for their pre-season practice time trails. This allows the student-athletes to distance themselves from their teammates at the starting line, when not protected by a face covering.
First Time Trial is complete for the XC team‼️ We used a staggered start and it helped keep everyone spread out. #Westerners #RunForTheBrand #JUCOPRODUCT pic.twitter.com/6TMXPMNfx2
— Western TX XC/Track (@WTC_XCTrack) August 8, 2020
In Region 23, the Alabama Community College Conference sent each of their 21 member institutions two thermal thermometers to be used to complete temperature checks for student-athletes. Each school within the ACCC will complete temperature checks for all student-athletes prior to any team gathering – practice, study halls, weight room workouts, etc. Though this may mean completing temperature checks three to four times per day, each athletic department within the conference will have the necessary equipment to do so.
The @acccathletics is pleased to provide all member institutions thermometers to help keep our greatest asset, STUDENT-athletes, healthy. #SafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/3Ab6kmNtxG
— ACCC (@acccathletics) August 5, 2020
The ACCC has also partnered with Health Roster to conduct daily symptom tracking. "The automated system will either clear them for daily participation or institute the process of telehealth and testing. Every student-athlete, coach, and athletic staff member are required to complete the tracking form seven days a week for the next six months," stated Dean Myrick, ACCC Commissioner and NJCAA Senior Men's Administrator.
"It also allows me, as Commissioner, to track the members' daily completion rate and to monitor any "hot spots", thus being able to postpone games or shut down practices for a certain time. With the guidance of our Chief Medical Consultant, we feel we have a plan to be successful this semester and head to the spring in great shape."
Rowan College South Jersey (NJ) has implemented the "Sidelined But Not Sitting Out" initiative for the athletic departments on their Cumberland and Gloucester campuses.
The new initiative launched through a coordinated social media campaign between the Dukes and the Roadrunners. Though neither RCSJ program will be competing during the fall semester, the joint-effort outlines a detailed COVID-19 Management Plan as well as guidelines for phasing sports teams into fall practices, beginning with small pods of five to ten student-athletes at a time.
RCSJ Athletes Sidelined but Not Sitting Out.
— RCSJ Dukes Athletics (@GoRCDukes) August 14, 2020
For the 1st time since March, Dukes Athletes will be back on campus - under phased safety guidelines. Full release below.
Link: https://t.co/T5q9MJgy3f#LongLiveTheDukes @rcsjcumberland @ACPressHuba @McGurkSports@TWIBaseballSJ pic.twitter.com/wHaPh0FJmS
"RCSJ stands with our student-athletes during these difficult times. While we will not participate this fall in competitive schedules, we do plan to put together programming to maintain engagement, support academics and mental health, and give opportunities for safe training as student-athletes look to attain their goals and improve," stated Roadrunners Executive Director of Athletics Brian Rowan. "We are working together with our conference, region, and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) to give all our student-athletes a chance to compete during the spring of 2021."
With so many uncertainties surrounding the world of collegiate athletics, one thing is certain. The NJCAA and its member institutions are placing the utmost importance on the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, and all administrative staff involved. As the association moves forward during the COVID-19 pandemic, NJCAA member institutions will continue to find innovative solutions for health and safety while providing opportunities to 60,000 student-athletes nationwide.
For more information on the #NJCAAForward initiative, visit NJCAA Forward campaign carries on.
To see how NJCAA members are promoting health and safety during the new academic year, see the social stream below.
We're excited to welcome our Wildcats back to campus ahead of the first day of school on Monday!#RRR? #HearOurRoar? pic.twitter.com/96NTvc5aw7
— Pearl River Football (@PearlRiverFB) August 14, 2020
2 Ball Mikan — Don't let the ball go below your shoulders!!!! @SamGrayson02 @MarshallKearing ?? ?? #3rdHerd ?? pic.twitter.com/pDLC9oY7oa
— SCF Basketball (@SCF_Basketball) August 7, 2020
Masks. Temperature checks. Hand sanitizer. Small group sessions. Social distancing. ?
— Carl Sandburg College Chargers Athletics (@SandburgNJCAA) August 17, 2020
Our student-athlete orientations look a lot different this year, but we're grateful to have our Chargers back on campus! ??? pic.twitter.com/BiTJqbRFcI
???'? ?? ??? ????!#buconation pic.twitter.com/hSaeGOwl5S
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) August 17, 2020
Trojan Softball used the Pit to social distance for their first team meeting of the year. TSJC was undefeated in Region play when the season was cut short in the spring. They are hoping to build on that heading into the 2020-21 season #IndestructibleTogether #TrojanProud pic.twitter.com/HOil6nFztN
— TSJC Athletics (@TSJCATHLETICS) August 7, 2020
CACC's Back!@CACC_Softball working on some plyometrics
— CACC Softball (@CACC_Softball) August 18, 2020
Fresh Air
Physical Distancing
Stay in your lane #getbetter pic.twitter.com/tVugvMkYvM
We are getting the school year started - virtually. @CoachJeffWillis kicks off our athletic department orientation on a campus wide zoom call. pic.twitter.com/PrAUHxPpCU
— LSU Eunice Athletics (@LSUEBengals) August 18, 2020
��And they're off!! ��♀️����♂️#MCCKCxcountry �� has begun practicing and it's the first day of classes! Here we go #MCCKC! Together we are strong, together we are the #WolfPack ���� pic.twitter.com/TiCQ4FOBRV
— MCCKC Athletics (@MCCKC_Athletics) August 18, 2020
