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Mar 18

What happens next? Nicholls athletics deals with virus best it can – Daily Comet

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Stefanie Slekis tried to answer as many questions as she could while rumors and concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus and the state of the program swirled through the Nicholls track and field program.

The Colonels coach called a team meeting on March 12, in the hopes of giving her athletes some heads up on what might be heading their way. Over the next 48 hours, their season would be put on hold until at least the end of the month and then for the remainder of the year.

In the days to come, athletes, several of which are international students from all over the world, worried they might not be able to get home for months as countries began locking down their borders. A few heard unfounded rumors through social media the Texas border would soon close, meaning even U.S. students may be stuck in Louisiana for the time being.

On top of that, they have dorms to move out of and potential online classes to set up. They have to return books at the end of the semester. International students have visa requirements to fulfill. They were unsure if they could continue training as a team or if their coaches could send suggested workouts they could do on their own.

What about eligibility? Will seniors be allowed an extra year to compete and what would that mean for scholarship counts?

In what felt like one of the longest weeks of many peoples lives, the rapid fire of breaking news reports could not compete with the rising rate of questions. Every clarification created more confusion and every solution only seemed to bring about more problems.

The world, and the sports world in particular, was in chaos with everyone doing their best to figure it out one step at a time.

Augusta (Marie Christensen), who is from Denmark, asked me, Theyre talking about closing the borders until July in Denmark. I think I might need to get home, Slekis said. Youre looking at if somebody doesnt get home now and the borders close and cross country starts in August, they might not get to go home until December or next summer. Our team, we were following it pretty close already because of the international students on our team. Our Texas kids were following it, too, and one of my Texas girls was following things and talking about the National Guard and that they might close the Texas border, she thought.

So they were really paying attention, and because of all that happening, they realized this is bigger than us being able to go run.

The decision to shut down all NCAA winter and spring athletics for the remainder of the year is one that filled many programs with mixed feelings.

Nicholls womens basketball coach DoBee Plaisance thought the teams seven game win streak going into the postseason was a sign they were going to win the whole Southland Conference Tournament. But even as they received news of its cancellation just minutes before loading the bus for the arena, Plaisance voiced her total support in doing what was best for the health of the student-athletes.

The move is even worse for spring sports who had only just begun when they were told they could no longer play.

Nicholls baseball coach Seth Thibodeaux said he understood the decision and knows it was for the best, but that doesnt negate the bitter disappointment of a season ending before it could really start.

The Colonels were preparing to host their Southland home opener against Central Arkansas this past weekend and just beginning to feel good about their play after a rough start. Now, Thibodeaux cant help but think about how a series loss at New Orleans would, unbeknownst to them at the time, be the final weekend series of the year.

Its tough for everybody, Thibodeaux said. Theyre a little depressed. Were a little down, but were trying not to be all doom and gloom. Our goal is to make the best of it. But its a tough time. Its different.

Its a situation few can compare to any other in recent history.

Thibodeaux was an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana during the devastation of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, which altered many athletic schedules for months. But that was also during the fall and didnt prevent players from meeting for team activities when they were able, leaving him in uncharted territory for how to proceed now.

The lack of experience left teams scrambling to figure out ways to keep players in shape while sitting at home. For many that meant creating exercise programs that focused on body weight lifts and conditioning.

Nicholls beach volleyball coach Kallie Noble said her program sent players individual workouts they could do from home after all but three players left Thibodaux to be with family.

As a coach, you just let them know this is one of those things that are out of your control, Noble said. You can either sit and dwell on it and be upset or you can pick up the pieces and move on.

"Today they received their at-home workouts because we assume they cant go to a gym right now and we dont want them going to a gym right now so an at-home workout for now and then as things hopefully clear up in the next few weeks theyll transfer into their summer workout packet."

For Slekis and the track team, the quarantine wont change much as they essentially shift to offseason workouts where she can recommend trainings sessions and advise runners on how best to proceed. She noted running outside by yourself can be beneficial for your immune system while still practicing the recommended social distancing in order to fight the spread of the disease.

I just sent out really light training for this week because so much is going on, Slekis said. I have girls taking international flights. Other kids drove home to Texas. So I just sent a team email saying heres where were at, hers some ideas on what to do this week, some light workouts I thought they could do and some suggested mileage for the week.

Slekis credited Nicholls leadership, under Interim Athletic Director Lindsey McKaskle, for being helpful in guiding teams while so much uncertainty floated around the situation. With little information coming out of the NCAA and the Southland at the moment, teams have tried to gather as much guidance as they can where they can.

But the questions about what happens next rage on.

All programs are in a complete dead period for the time being before they can hope to resume any team activities or bring recruits to campus for official visits. Nicholls will roll out online classes over the next week as many other schools across the country do the same.

As of now, the Southland Conference halted all team events until March 30, including practice and spring football, but said in a statement that it reserves the right to alter plans as more developments about the virus roll in.

When teams will be able to return and what the landscape of their sport will look like when they do remains an open question.

At the end of the day, it may really benefit some players if they get another year, Thibodeaux said. The tough part is that theres some players maybe starting medical school, maybe starting law school, maybe in their fifth year trying to get their masters and finishing up. Thats really hard.

Theres so many good things that are going to come out of this, even though it doesnt look like it right now. The tough part is that I know my team was not ready to stop.

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What happens next? Nicholls athletics deals with virus best it can - Daily Comet

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