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The return to play

from Roanoke College Magazine | 2021 | Issue One

by Roanoke College

from Roanoke College Magazine | 2021 | Issue One, page 18

Article from: Roanoke College Magazine | 2021 | Issue One

Science Guys

STORY BY BRIAN HOFFMAN ’74 PHOTOS BY RYAN HUNT ’18

It lifted everyone’s spirits when we saw people on the fields or courts.

— Roanoke College President Michael C. Maxey

**Roanoke took two from the Shenandoah University Hornets on April 3.**

IT WAS THE LEAST BUSY OF YEARS. It was the busiest of years.

It was the year of COVID.

After nine months without a single game, meet or match involving a Roanoke College student-athlete, sports returned with a flurry in 2021. During a span of two weeks, from March 6-20, every sports team at the College competed.

It all began a year prior, on March 11, 2020. On that day, Rudy Gobert, of the National Basketball Association Utah Jazz, tested positive for COVID-19 and all sports as we knew them shut down. In just days all professional and college sports, including NCAA tournaments, were put on hold.

That included nine spring sports that were already underway at Roanoke College. While the school waited to see if things would “get better,” the fields, courts and tracks would remain empty through the end of the school year. Then, when things didn’t get better, the fall season was impacted as well. It was the first time since Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison ’79 was a child that he wasn’t busy with sports.

We had a long stretch with no games,” said Allison. “It was strange for me having Saturday and Sunday off, but I’m paying for that now. It was feast or famine.

“Feast” began Jan.16, 2021, when the Maroons swim team had a meet, the first intercollegiate competition for a Roanoke College team in nine months. Men’s and women’s basketball, and indoor track teams started the following week, but with no fans in attendance and protocols that had coaches and game officials wearing masks, as well as the players when they weren’t competing.

“We were COVID tested three times per week as required by the NCAA,” said Men’s Basketball Coach Clay Nunley. “We weren’t able to use our locker room during the year and our benches were socially distanced, much like you saw if you watched any college basketball game on television.”

This made for extra work for Jim Buriak, Roanoke College director of athletic training, and his staff.

“The athletic trainers had to develop COVID-19 protocols for testing our athletes according to NCAA guidelines,” Buriak said. “We have five licensed athletic trainers at Roanoke College, and they have done a fantastic job of testing, following established protocols and providing exceptional health care to our athletes.”

Once sports returned in January, it was a whole new ballgame. Roanoke College men’s and women’s basketball teams had excellent seasons, but no one was there to cheer them on. All games were streamed online, but inside the Cregger Center, bleachers were rolled back.

“Obviously we missed having people at the games, but I think we were so excited to be able to play that we eventually didn’t even notice,” said Women’s Basketball Coach Carla Flaherty.

Allison remembers a particular moment just prior to the men’s first game.

“I remember [basketball player] Kasey Draper ’22 running down the steps with a big smile on his face,” Allison said. “He was so excited. You could see that in the kids, they had a passion for playing.”

The swim team returned to the pool in time to win an Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship for the men and a runner-up finish for the women.

“The flexibility provided by the NCAA allowed us to move our conference meet to later in the spring, which allowed us the most opportunity to train for the championship meet,” said Scott Thacker, Maroons head men’s and women’s swim team coach. “The season gave them an avenue and a space to step aside from the stress and changes brought on by the pandemic, to have something that was as close to normal as possible.”

The pandemic wiped out all competition in the fall 2020, but the ODAC worked out a plan to have the fall sports teams play an abbreviated spring season. When the soccer, volleyball and field hockey teams started their delayed seasons in late February, the winter sports teams were still competing and the spring teams were just a week or so away from opening their schedules. That made for a busy time for everyone related to the Athletics program.

“With the number of sports we had playing it was tough on the coaches in regards to practice time and facilities,” said Allison. “We over-seeded the fields on the Elizabeth Campus because they were used more than in the past. We learned to share more than we’ve had to and we sat down to meet several times as a group. I’m lucky to be blessed with a good coaching staff, and everything worked out fine.”

Allison, Assistant Director of Athletics John Farmer and Director of Athletic Communications Richie Waggoner had few days off as they over-saw the flood of intercollegiate games. And, due to COVID testing, events often had to be postponed or canceled on short notice.

Obviously we missed having people at the games, but I think we were so excited to be able to play that we eventually didn’t even notice.

— Carla Flaherty, women’s basketball coach

Roanoke posted a 4-0 win over Emory & Henry College on March 11. Morgan O’Neill ’24, at left, was named ODAC Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year on May 6. Roanoke’s March 12 match against #1-ranked Sweet Briar College featured a record-breaking performance as the Maroons secured a 6-1 victory over the Vixens.

**Roanoke’s March 12 match against #1-ranked Sweet Briar College featured a record-breaking performance as the Maroons secured a 6-1 victory over the Vixens.**

“With the spring weather and protocols, we had to make some quick reschedules and it wasn’t easy,” said Allison. “There were so many moving parts involved. We had to consider what other events were going on at the College as well. Hats off to the ODAC office. They were a big help in scheduling.”

The seasons that normally compete in the fall ran from February through early April of 2021, and they were able to compete in conference tournaments as well. It was a little different, but much the same, and sometimes even better.

“Allowing us to have the fall season to prepare for the spring season was an advantage,” said Head Volleyball Coach Blair Trail ’99. “We typically only have two weeks to practice before our first match.”

“With the fall being ‘practice only’ it enabled us to find out more about our freshmen and prepare more than our typical two-week preseason,” said Women’s Head Soccer Coach Phil Benne. “With a very good fall, we were able to start the spring season with two weeks of preseason, and we played at a high level.”

Head Men’s Soccer Coach Ryan Pflugrad ’02 was just happy to get the season in. “Despite the challenges presented, I absolutely feel the season was a worthwhile experience for the athletes,” he said. “To be able to compete against other colleges in any fashion was a good outlet for the players after missing the fall seasons and all that everyone had gone through in the pandemic."

The season gave them an avenue and a space to step aside from the stress and changes brought on by the pandemic, to have something that was as close to normal as possible.

— Scott Thacker, head men’s and women’s swim team coach

"We were able to develop our team on and off the field in preparation for next fall and learn a lot about ourselves, especially in the face of some challenges and adversities faced through the season,” Pflugrad said.

One person who has been impressed with the Athletics staff’s performance during the extraordinary 2020-21 year is Roanoke College President Michael C. Maxey. He understands the importance of intercollegiate athletics to the morale of the student body and was thankful that all sports teams could have a season during these trying times.

“It’s been an incredible ride,” Maxey said. “It lifted everyone’s spirits when we saw people on the fields or courts. Everyone is so hungry for normalcy, and our staff, coaches, players and trainers did an amazing job. They were incredible, it was an inspiration to watch.”