213 ATHLETICS NO fall ball The Great American Conference postpones the 2020-21 athletic season. On Aug. 14, 2020, the Great American Conference announced that all fall and winter sports: basketball, cross-country, football, soccer and volleyball, and sports that spanned both semesters, golf and tennis, were suspended through Jan. 1, 2021 due to COVID-19. Athletes and coaches unable to complete sporting events said they were devastated by the announcement. “I know it has been really disappointing for our athletes to not have the opportunity to compete last spring and this fall,” University Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Coach Jeff Morgan said. “With that being said, our athletes have handled all of this in a great way. Their attitudes and their approach to how we are having to do things differently right now has been great. [The] same could be said for our coaches. Our coaches have done an incredible job making adjustments to workouts, strength and conditioning, meetings, etc., as we continue to engage our student-athletes and help them pursue their spiritual, academic and athletic goals.” While the news was difficult for the athletes, they continued to work hard and remained positive. “In terms of the cancellations of the seasons, I think teams as a whole are strongly affected because we all, as Harding student-athletes and coaches, have been working so hard, but we understand it’s for the greater good,” senior men’s basketball player Tyler Roth said. In fall 2020, the University enforced rules and regulations to keep students safe in the uncertain time. “Each day we have to self-screen in order to ensure we don’t have COVID-19 symptoms,” Roth said. “In practice, we wear masks and social distance as much as possible, and our season has been postponed or canceled.” The new regulations changed the way Harding athletics continued with their season, but they made the most of the circumstances. “It has been draining and exhausting on our student-athletes and coaches,” Morgan said. “But we are trying to continue to remain positive and engaged moving foward.” story by Holland Chupek SEASON POSTPONED
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==