215 FOLIO COPY The Track that Smiles Back The Harding track teams continue to work together under COVID-19 guidelines. Athletics faced new obstacles in spring 2021 due to COVID-19, but the Harding track teams continued to work toward their goals. However, they still had to comply with COVID-19 guidelines in order to complete the season. Cross-Country and Track and Field Head Coach Don Hood said athletes, coaches and trainers were tested for COVID-19 weekly, and spectators were not allowed at indoor meets. “The [National Collegiate Athletic Association] (NCAA) formed a committee and passed down general guidelines for each conference to establish as best they could,” Hood said. “Each school must abide by the conference guidelines.” Junior distance runner Colton Bowman said it was important for the athletes to be careful because if one person tested positive, the rest of the team could be quarantined as a close contact. “That means wearing masks to practice, in the weight room, in the locker room, during meetings and after practice,” Bowman said. “We try not to hang out with big crowds outside of practice at the moment in order to keep the team safe.” Despite the changes made for the spring 2021 season, some aspects of the track season remained similar to previous years, such as competing against other schools in the NCAA. The increased restrictions affected athletes both on and off the track. Sophomore distance runner Jada Trice said athletes could not socialize as they did in previous seasons, but that never changed their dedication to the sport. “One of the hardest parts of being so distanced is not being able to hang around like we used to after practice,” Trice said. “But even with the restrictions, we still continue to train hard and get the work done each day. I can’t wait to see the results of our efforts this season after training in times like these.” story by Caroline Slater TRACK
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