As society deals with the impact of all canceled sports, it’s best that we hear from the people that are dealing with it firsthand. The people who get the players together as a team to teach them the fundamentals of the sport and how to play on an organized collegiate team. The people who draw up game strategies, break down film, and much more. Other than the players, it’s good to hear from the coaches on how this pandemic affects their teams.
Florida State was set to host the FSU Relays on March 26-28. The annual event was theSeminoles only home meet of the season as they would welcome competition from the universities of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Penn State, Liberty, Georgia Tech, Michigan, USF, UNF and Vanderbilt. FSU track & field coach, Bob Braman chimed in on the situation.
“I certainly feel for our student-athletes, but understand the cancellation of our season was necessary,” said Braman. “We were looking forward to great competition from an outstanding field of teams in what is traditionally our first full-team outdoor meet of the season.”
Braman went on to say that the cancellation of FSU Relays is one of many disappointments they’ve dealt with as a result of COVID-19.
After finding out that their ACC tournament had been cancelled due to the virus, FSU men’s basketball coach Leonard Hamilton says that it’s something that they just have to deal with.
“These are challenges that you have to face in life and you have to learn to man up, deal with it and move on, but most importantly, make the best out of a bad situation ,” Hamilton said. Hamilton added that these times are unprecedented and that he’s never seen anything like this in all his years of coaching.
Florida A&M’s men’s basketball team didn’t really have to worry about the rest of their season being canceled because they had already finished their season. But, head coach Robert McCullum says that the virus has affected the recruiting process.
“We now have to evaluate prospects we want to recruit on tape and in addition to that, those prospects in all likelihood will not have the chance to visit campus,” said McCullum.
He said that because of the virus, he and his coaching staff cannot make in-home visits to go and meet the prospect and their families. High school prospects along with transfer student-athletes from community colleges, will have to settle for virtual tours online to pick what college they want to attend. In the meantime, everyone including athletes, must follow social distancing rules.