Despite the pandemic, Mercer’s athletics department is continuing practice for student athletes in an effort to help players stay on track this season. The strategy for keeping players healthy has included splitting teams into small groups or pods and increasing symptom tracking. Athletics Director John Simone says, “Athletes everyday have to do a symptom tracker. It’s different than the one students are doing, it’s a little more detailed.”
He also says that practice for all active teams has been four days a week instead of six. Practice starts with pods of six to ten players split between the head and assistant coaches, with some teams increasing pod size over time, depending on the size of teams and if they practice inside.
“We’re trying to provide hope for everybody but there still are a lot of unknowns,” Simone says.
While practice has changed, the athletics department has tried to keep things consistent with past practice. Simone says that athletic scholarships are continuing and plans have been made for basketball and other winter sports to have games in late January.
Recruitment is also continuing as normal, although this has been impacted by the fact that about 90% of Mercer’s international students haven’t been able to come this year due to travel restrictions and many team players are from abroad.
The basketball team is a month into practice now and the team continues to practice in pods of six to eight players. The coaches say it allows them to focus on an individual’s strengths and skills without the usual stress of rapidly approaching games.
“I do think it’s good for our players and it’s allowed us an opportunity to really teach stuff you wouldn’t be able to teach when you’re getting ready for a game in a month,” says Howard Levy, head coach of the men’s basketball team. He adds, “I think this is an unbelievably valuable year for our players.” The men’s lacrosse team is six weeks into practice in their third ever season at Mercer, with games set to start in March along with the rest of spring sports.
Head Coach Rob Siris says he has used a gradual approach to increasing pod size, starting with three weeks of three pods, two weeks of two pods, and one week of full team practice so far.
Coach Siris says “For many of our players it’s the highlight of their day to be outside.” Ultimately, plans to resume games against other teams aren’t concrete, but the athletics department is aiming to keep students motivated.
“It’s really about education and participation and active involvement,” Simone says.
