A coach’s role is unique. In addition to providing a supportive and competitive environment on any number of fields of play, they are also essential in the recruitment of the next class of students and scholar-athletes to the College.
When the COVID-19 pandemic affected campus in March, the coaches were positioned to help their team members deal with the loss of seasons, championship aspirations, and also the brotherhood that exists in any team through daily practices and preparations.
“The abrupt end to the spring season jarred everyone associated with the athletics program: student-athletes, coaches, staff, parents, and alumni,” said Director of Athletics and Campus Wellness Matt Tanney ’05. “Yet throughout the pandemic, our coaches masterfully balanced recruiting new students while supporting current scholar-athletes. They facilitated team Zoom meetings and checked in on students when racial and social justice issues created more uncertainty and anguish. In short, coaches' engagement and encouragement of students positioned us for a successful fall semester, albeit in an entirely different context than anyone expected.”
RP: Looking back, can you quantify just what was lost?
Jake Martin (Baseball): You can put a number on the games lost, but you cannot measure the impact of losing the season so abruptly. It is still difficult to put into words what exactly was lost. It is all of the reasons you play the sport in the first place: competition, teamwork, handling successes and failures, friendships, and playing for something bigger than yourself.
Brian Anderson (Wrestling): Losing the opportunity for our guys to compete for a national title less than 20 hours before the championship tournament was beyond hard and an absolute heartbreak. I’ve dealt with plenty of team and individual heartbreak in my career but nothing like this. Those two days in March mean everything for a college wrestler, and our guys were primed and ready to go.
Will Bernhardt (Swimming & Diving): Obviously, the opportunity for Hunter Jones ’20 and Jan Dziadek ’21 to compete against the country’s best was lost. We were in our final preparations for the NCAA Championships when we received the information that the plug was being pulled. I had to call both athletes that afternoon and tell them their dream of competing at our sport’s highest level was over. It was the hardest call I have ever had to make.
Is there an event, or a day you wish you could do over?
Daniel Bickett (Tennis): I wish we could have done our team banquet. Once the season was officially over, I would have liked a more formal opportunity to express my gratitude for the grit and resiliency they showed every day. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank the guys this year for the steps they took in helping us to secure our foundation.
Clyde Morgan (Track & Field): First, I would just appreciate the time together as a staff and team more. When we were at nationals and found out the meet was canceled, I should have hugged Ra’Shawn Jones ’20 and Josh Wiggins ’21 because they were hurting. My mind said keep my distance but my heart said hug these young men because they’re in pain.
Martin: Each season you have a final game that allows you to sum up the year and thank the team and staff. This year, we played our last game without knowing it was going to be the last. We felt like we were months from that conversation. I really feel for the guys who lost their senior seasons. I hope they know how much they mean to these coaches and our programs.
We never really got the chance to say goodbye or thanks. How much of this is about closure?
Tim O’Shea (Lacrosse): Not having that closure is definitely one of the hardest things about this situation. We were unable to properly honor our athletes, especially the seniors, for all their contributions to this program. We used social media to post our thanks and appreciation, but that is not nearly enough. I’m not sure I would have displayed the same perseverance in that situation.
Kyle Brumett (Basketball): We talk a lot about not wasting chances, not taking opportunities for granted, and making the most of our time together as a team. Leaving campus the way we did last spring is really hard to look back on. I would have liked more time with the seniors. I’m not sure we have had closure, but this is what a Wabash experience prepares you for—how to successfully deal with life’s ups and downs.
Bernhardt: We held a time trial after the championships were canceled. We wanted to give Hunter and Jan the opportunity to finish their season. We even invited Hunter’s parents and they were able to see him compete one last time and walk out of the pool with a smile on his face. That was the best part. We might not have been able to compete in the meet we wanted, but we were able to end our season feeling accomplished. I wouldn’t change that feeling for anything.