Playing D1 During a Pandemic

By: Ally Patterson

Q News

Socially distanced line of players waiting on temperature checks.

It’s 6:30 a.m. and the only thing standing in the way of senior Clayton Krol and his lacrosse practice are the numbers that flash on the thermometer before him. 

Beep...beep...beep... 

At 97.9°Fahrenheit, the athletic trainer can now clear Krol to begin gearing up for the practice ahead knowing he is fever and COVID-19-symptom free. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has put restraints on all activities, and D1 athletics has felt the impact in a big way. The High Point University Men’s Lacrosse team has had to make major adjustments to the logistics of their practices both on, and off, the field; but they haven’t let the restrictions limit their dedication to the game.

Temperature checks, daily health assessments, and split practice times are the new necessary precautions that allow the team to stay safe, while still sustaining their ability to be athletic. 

Players temperature must be below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in order to practice.

A Driven Dynamic

“My mentality has not been altered,” said Krol. He has not let the changes in college athletics compromise his drive, “I’m used to being challenged and knew I would have to work hard for everything that I got, and that’s been my mindset going through lacrosse and that will continue no matter what.” 

The 63 men that occupy the team all have that same passion for playing the game of lacrosse, especially Davis Sampere who chose to return for a fifth year while earning his Masters degree.

“I felt like there was a lot of unfinished business left on the table,” said Sampere about his decision to accept the extra year of eligibility the NCAA granted all athletes after the shortened spring 2020 season. 

The ability for athletes to extend their playing time has proved a positive from the pandemic, but this year of playing is bringing a lot of modifications with it. 

Craving Consistency

Even with the driven mentality and team commitment, there are obvious obstacles to tackling sports during a pandemic.  

“Overall a top concern for us right now is we don't have a lot of consistency in our practice schedule,” Krol admitted.

Current guidelines outline that if five or more members of the team have tested positive for COVID-19 that practices are on hold for at least one week, and then possible practices will be reevaluated once seven days have passed. 

“This has happened one or two times now,” Krol reflected on their current fall semester. 

Along with modified practice schedules, the team is also facing reduced capacity and time in the weight room. The limitations on the weight room vary on a weekly basis depending on the exposure of positive cases and the availability of staff. 

Sampere reflected that these setbacks affect the dynamic of the group, “Not being able to have everyone together at practice and lifting, you’re not really growing together as a team.”

The difference from past years to the fall season of 2020 is evident to veteran players.

 “We would practice hard for five to six days a week and emphasis would be mainly on lacrosse, whereas now the emphasis has kinda shifted towards personal health and that's interesting to see,” Krol commented. 

The team tries to maintain as much normalcy during practice as possible with quick team huddles.

Every morning, players are unsure what they are waking up to; and while consistency is not promised, competition is.

Keeping the Competition

The six coaches make sure to instill a competitive nature within their players, even when off the field. 

Freshman Jake Joy, while new to the team, has already experienced the competitive mindset that is ever-present.   

“The competition is definitely still there even though there are restrictions,” Joy stated when discussing a timed google sheet of exercises that Coach Torpey had each freshman player complete in their dorm rooms for a prize.  

Even with the new regulations that have limited their time on the field, Krol feels confident in the team’s ability to compete in the spring, “Preparation in terms of a normal year is not there, but neither is really any other team in the country. It’s a pretty even playing field, and I'm excited to get after it.”