Guest Writer: Hannah Allison
Emory & Henry is looking ahead to the spring sports season as the fall semester is quickly coming to an end. Coronavirus cases on the Emory & Henry campus and in Southwest Virginia continue to rise, leaving many with unanswered questions about the spring sports season. Although time keeps moving forward, it seems too early to tell how the spring season will play out.
The disruptions in activity because of rising coronavirus cases on campus have left many students as well as their coaches with unanswered questions about what will happen in spring.
“We are still waiting to hear what our spring will look like,” Emory & Henry’s head baseball coach Trey McCall, said
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), of which Emory & Henry is a member of, is working with its members to set safety regulations in place to protect the health and safety of the student athletes. Earlier this summer, the ODAC voted to postpone competition and championships for fall and winter sports through December. Making sure student-athletes are provided with a safe and meaningful experience throughout their seasons is an important focus for members of the ODAC.
McCall does expect changes for the season. “The ODAC has modified both fall and winter sports and I suspect our [spring] season will have some changes,” he said.
This season is unlike seasons past because what happens off the field will directly impact if a game will go on or not. “One day, everything is normal, then the next day half your team could be in quarantine,” McCall said, referencing that student athletes could be exposed to the virus outside of the baseball field.
The constant changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have proven to be challenging for the Emory & Henry community. “It has been difficult for everyone involved,” McCall said. However, he and other coaches are trying to stay positive despite the circumstances.“We must find a way to make the best of the situation,” he said. This positivity is felt by the athletes as well, despite the changes and uncertainties they are also facing.
Connor Buchanan, an E&H junior and member of the baseball team said, “Despite the unknowns, I am optimistic about the upcoming season. It is my hope that by spring things will be much closer to normal and the Wasps can get back to winning games!”