Maneuvering Within a Pandemic

Graphic by Alaina Burris

The year 2020 left many people worldwide wondering, “What comes next?,” as the future is doubtful for many lives across the nation.

At the beginning of March 2020, Ottawa University decided to switch over to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester, sending every student home immediately after spring break.

This put a damper on several athletic seasons, from bowling to baseball. The team that arguably was hit the hardest was the football team. The Braves were rebuilding, prepping to move from fall ball to spring ball. They were ready to compete for a KCAC championship. They still are.

Calling audibles seems to be the game plan for the rest of the year, as COVID-19 remains a huge factor with many safety precautions that must be retained, but they have worked through it. 

Their season kicked off in early September, taking each game week by week. Because of the cut-short season last year, the Braves won’t see the end of the Season until April 2021. Fatigue will come into play in the second half of the season, as the first game is scheduled March 6. The Braves waste no time hitting the weight room every other day while working on speed and agility in between.

Persistence is what has kept this team rolling early on in the year, now the question is what will separate Ottawa from other competitors in the conference?    

As time seems like an endless cycle of constant training, if there is anything assistant coach Thomas Pearson wants his players to take away from this season, it would be, “Don’t let your current circumstances determine your outcome.” 

With many circumstances in the 2020 fall season, Pearson says the only thing that has really affected recruiting would be on-campus visits. 

“I feel like the atmosphere at Ottawa University is what helps sell recruits to the university.”

While recruiting may seem difficult under these circumstances, FaceTime, Zoom and other media options helped add a few more pieces to the Braves as they begin the start of the second half of the season.