Covid Impacts on Upcoming Season

Started by fishercats, May 19, 2020, 10:51:04 AM

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Gregory Sager

Quote from: YoungBuck on May 22, 2020, 06:44:52 PM
Quote from: Buck O. on May 21, 2020, 08:53:43 PM
In a similar vein, the A-10 is shortening and regionalizing its schedule, to reduce the amount of overnight travel, and is reducing the number of teams that qualify for the postseason tournament.

https://www.soccerwire.com/news/atlantic-10-conference-mens-and-womens-soccer-to-play-modified-schedule-this-fall/
This is one area that I think it's safe to say DIII will be in line with DI. Schools will almost certainly be looking to reduce travel costs for programs that don't get shut down completely, meaning regionalized schedules and reductions to overnight travel before conference and national tournaments.

An unintended consequence of this could be further isolation of the Western region schools. A geographically isolated school like Whitworth or Puget Sound is going to have a lot harder time cutting travel costs than any of Eastern PA/NJ/NE schools. I wouldn't be shocked if some of those programs announced program cuts or reduced schedules, which could give their top recruits reason to pick an East coast school going forward (extra 5-10 games per year).

I don't know why they'd necessarily pick an East Coast school. It'd be just as easy to pick a school in the Midwest, and flights to and from school would be cheaper.

Anyway, I think that you're overstating the matter regarding scheduling for the NWC and SCIAC, at least in terms of men's soccer. The NWC plays a double round-robin, which means that 14 of their 18 games apiece are already accounted for in-house. If nobody is seeking to go to Oregon or Washington in order to play them, or if they find themselves in a situation in which they can't spend the money to leave the Pacific Northwest in order to play D3 games, there's always the local NAIA league -- the Cascades Collegiate Conference, 14 teams strong in men's soccer -- that would undoubtedly be looking for local games for the same reason.

As for the SCIAC, it currently plays a hybrid schedule -- not quite a double round-robin, but more than a single round-robin -- of 12 conference games in men's soccer. A full double round-robin would up that total to 16 games, meaning that SCIAC teams would only need to find two non-conference opponents apiece to round out their regular season. That's eminently doable, even if they, too, would have to stay close to home and play local NAIA soccer teams. (Their geographical footprint is covered by two NAIA leagues, the GSAC and the Cal Pac.)

Quote from: YoungBuck on May 22, 2020, 06:44:52 PMAnother unintended consequence to consider could be impacts to SoS. If Chicago or Emory or any other top program from the Midwest or south restricts their non-conference schedule to 50-100 miles or so, their SoS would presumably drop way off, while Messiah or F&M would still be able to find strong teams out of conference nearby. Assuming we have a 2020 season and national tournament, the Pool C selections are going to be a struggle to come up with.

That doesn't necessarily follow. I do think that D3's geography would make it pretty difficult for Emory or Wash U to construct a solid non-con schedule, SoS-wise, if relegated to a 100-mile radius of campus, simply because there just aren't enough teams within that radius to work with. But Chicago and Case Western Reserve wouldn't have that problem. Then again, we're talking about the wrong league for your "unintended consequence" hypothetical, because the UAA schools aren't the ones that are going to have budget issues of this kind.
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

backheel18

I am hearing that some schools are cutting their numbers of interns and assistants to try to save the schools money.  One area that I really feel has improved from the time that I played (2003) is the number of schools that have full time coaches and then have brought in paid assistants or interns.  Could we see some smaller schools go back to part-time coaches?  Or the older model where coaches had to help with another team outside of their season? 

PaulNewman

YoungBuck, do not be deterred!  The only unintended consequence, or consequence period, that would be truly surprising would be a lack of any.

My two cents...

In terms of relevance to D1, I think we can pretty safely say that D1 sports happening in the Fall is a prerequisite for D3 happening.  D1 football seems hell-bent on happening, for some obvious very good reasons, but certainly there could be more twists and turns in terms of whether that really happens.  Just like with the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, etc, proceeding loses certitude the more one gets into the details about how everything is going to work. 

As a parent and/or D3 recruit, I would be far more concerned about the long-term viability of a college/university than whether any particular college has a Fall season or not.  We have no idea what is going to happen in the Fall....ANYWHERE.  Maybe on those grounds the PAC NW might even be the safest bet.  Schools in the Northeast, New England and Midwest might appear to have better logistical situations, but what happens if there is a surge/outbreak in Boston, Philly, Chicago, etc in Sept or Oct or right when your team is entering conference and NCAA tourney play?  What happens when several players on a team test +?  What happens when some institutions in a conference don't play or have their play interrupted while other schools in the conference don't?  There are also conferences where member schools are well over 100 miles apart, even in the NESCAC (Colby to Hamilton, any NESCAC to Hamilton and vice versa, Colby to Williams or Midd, etc, etc).  How about Trinity to Colorado College?  Centre to Millsaps?  Obviously these examples could go on and on.

Everybody wants to play, and I'm sure most believe we should play, but when you get into exactly how that is going to happen all becomes murky.  And of course the lack of visibility applies to virtually everything.  D1 sports.  Pro sports.  Jobs/work.  How the election will be impacted (and whether the candidates will be who we think they will be). 

The old adage of pick a school where you'll still be happy if things don't work out (tearing an ACL, conflict with the coach, lack of playing time, loss of interest....or a pandemic) has taken on even more meaning.

Strange, tough times.

And then there's hurricane season....


WUPHF

I am not sure I understand the logic behind the 100 mile limit.

I am just guessing, but if the NCAA asks schools to limit their commutes, they will allow for 500 or more miles with exceptions.  If they do this, I also think they will preemptively cancel the postseason, tempering SOS concerns.

d4_Pace

I mean if you're going to cancel the postseason might as well get rid of the whole thing.

WUPHF

Quote from: d4_Pace on May 26, 2020, 12:17:11 PM
I mean if you're going to cancel the postseason might as well get rid of the whole thing.

I disagree wholeheartedly, but I am one of those guys that turns out for the Spring season, so...

OldNed

In light of this conversation, as well as what's going on with my son who is now an assistant at a D1 program, I was a little shocked to receive a twitter notification that St. Joe's of Maine just released their Fall schedule, and it begins on September 1. 

https://www.gomonks.com/sports/msoc/2020-21/schedule

d4_Pace

I mean I completely understand loving to play. But if you're a team thats used to competing for championships its gonna be hard to be fully motivated playing 15 games and then nothing. 

PaulNewman

D4....is there any tension between your perspective as a 2nd year med student and your perspective as a Tufts national champion alum/superfan looking for a Tufts clean sweep of the 2020s?  And when can we expect your Too-Early-Preseason-Top 10?

d4_Pace

Hi Paul, I think ultimately safety is the number one priority and as much as soccer was such a huge part of all these guys/my life, it does not take priority in this situation. 

That being said it would be heartbreaking for all the seniors on the team to not get a chance to make a run at the title one last time. 

WUPHF

Quote from: d4_Pace on May 26, 2020, 03:08:28 PM
I mean I completely understand loving to play. But if you're a team thats used to competing for championships its gonna be hard to be fully motivated playing 15 games and then nothing.

When you put it that way, I get it.

Buck O.

Quote from: blooter442 on May 22, 2020, 07:26:33 AM
Quote from: Buck O. on May 21, 2020, 08:50:56 PM
Spring, yes.  But winter?

I could be wrong, and perhaps it doesn't apply to all winter athletes, but I believe that the day the pandemic was declared by the WHO (March 11) was immediately before the NCAA indoor track championships (March 12). Prior to the NCAA canceling all future winter and spring championships in the next couple of days, a number of schools pulled their kids from competing – a notable example was Harvard, where a couple of track athletes lashed out at the school via social media, before backtracking once the championships were canceled in full. Either way, indoor track qualifiers for the NCAA meets in all divisions missed out on a chance to compete for a title. Additionally, I'm pretty sure the ski championships were also canceled after the Nordic events, meaning that the Nordic races were held but no alpine events occurred, so there was no combined team championship as usual. And, obviously, March Madness did not happen – it was interesting to hear them postulate about playing behind closed doors, but that obviously did not happen once the pandemic was declared.

In sum: I am not sure if it's blanket eligibility to any athlete who competed during the winter, but I would imagine that if any athletes are going to be reimbursed with winter eligibility it is probably the kids who – individually or with a team – qualified for an NCAA championship but did not get to compete.

In D1, only athletes in spring sports are getting an extension of eligibility:

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/division-i-council-extends-eligibility-student-athletes-impacted-covid-19

PaulNewman

Quote from: d4_Pace on May 26, 2020, 04:41:15 PM
Hi Paul, I think ultimately safety is the number one priority and as much as soccer was such a huge part of all these guys/my life, it does not take priority in this situation. 

That being said it would be heartbreaking for all the seniors on the team to not get a chance to make a run at the title one last time.

I'm sure this won't surprise you, but I can't quite work my way up to "heartbreaking."  Heartbreaking because the Tufts seniors don't get a chance for a 3rd title in four years? 

I can agree that not having a season, or having a season that gets cuts short, or having a season without a postseason would be or will be devastating to most seniors, especially those on competitive teams who are excited about their last run with hopes of a special season, or just a a last season with their teammates.  I have no doubt that not having a chance to go "all the way" would be devastating to seniors at Calvin, Amherst, North Park, etc and to other teams that have been knocking on the door like F&M, Kenyon, Hopkins and W&L.  And the same for dozens of other teams believing a magical run is possible akin to the one Colby made a couple of years ago or Centre last year.  And I'll feel almost as badly for frosh coming in who have so eagerly anticipated stepping on to their college team and hoping that they will enjoy a great team experience and make an impact.

The situation definitely sucks....in countless ways.  The Spring season athletes who lost a season, including all of those seniors.  Graduating seniors all over the country in high schools and colleges.  All those looking forward to their high school senior seasons.  All the professional teams hoping to win a ring.  All the college bball players who lost a chance at NCAA tourney glory.  The tons and tons of young people unsure if they will be returning to college this year and those having their graduate programs, law school, and med school compromised or even put on hold. 

One thing is for sure (even if we have a full D3 season).  We'll never forget 2020.

d4_Pace

I would say its equally sad for the seniors of every school in the country. Whatever their situation is they  have spent three years working towards the moment to finally lead their team. They've spent 15 plus years playing soccer and finally have one last go. 

Obviously, once again some perspective is required because not getting to play a season of a sport pales in comparison to what other people are going through. But I guess you say devastating I say heartbreaking, either way it sucks. 

jknezek

Completely agree. It sucks. On the upside, soccer is not like football or some other sports where it pretty much stops at the end of college. There are lots of men's and women's and coed leagues throughout the country. So yeah, it sucks to be done collegiately if that happens. A total gyp by any measure and I feel truly awful for those young men and women.

Fortunately soccer is not a sport that you essentially lose forever at that point. Try being a field hockey player or football or wrestling (though adult wrestling is picking up some steam thanks to MMA). You have, for all intents and purposes, played your very last game ever if those seasons are cancelled. Soccer, basketball, track, swimming, tennis, golf and more all at least have outlets as adults.