Post by WorcesterGray on Aug 20, 2020 19:18:00 GMT -5
In the Telegram today. HC 13 also posted this on the WBB page.
The Holy Cross men’s basketball team is supposed to open the 2020-21 season Nov. 10, and that’s the date HC men’s coach Brett Nelson will have his players working toward when they return to campus starting next week and begin preseason training soon afterward.
“Unless we hear otherwise,” Nelson said, “we’re preparing just like we’re playing Nov. 10.”
Last week, Holy Cross announced it was shifting all learning to a remote model for the fall semester due to concerns of the coronavirus pandemic. Among the very limited number of students that will be allowed to live on campus this fall are the 78 total members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and men’s and women’s hockey teams.
They will all follow a phased-in training schedule, director of athletics Marcus Blossom said, with numerous protocols, such as COVID-19 testing, small-group workouts, proper distancing, and face mask requirements.
“We’re very grateful and thankful for this opportunity,” first-year Holy Cross women’s basketball coach Maureen Magarity said. “With the small amount of students and athletes on campus we are under a microscope and we really have to do the right things. That will give more opportunities for the rest of the student-athletes to come back if we follow the rules and do whatever we can to stay healthy.”
Earlier this week, the NCAA announced it was targeting mid-September for a decision on the start of college basketball, which is scheduled for Nov. 10.
In July, when the Patriot League canceled fall competition, it said it would make decisions surrounding winter and spring sports competitions at a later date.
“The players have a lot of questions and everybody is a little anxious about the unknown, and what it looks like, even for our workouts,” Magarity said. “Once we get to campus and start workout out it will be day to day. Everyone has to be flexible.”
Every member of the women’s team is planning to come back, Magarity said, including freshman Bronagh Powers-Cassidy, who was scheduled to arrive in the U.S. from her home in Dublin, Ireland, this week.
Magarity, who was hired in April, has yet to see her office or meet any of her players in person.
“We have a new staff, a new system and a new team,” Magarity said, “and I think that gives them a little extra incentive just to move forward with everything. I’m super excited.”
All members of the men’s team, which has seven new players on the roster, will also be on campus.
“We have a lot of new guys, so there will be an adjustment basketball-wise and academically,” Nelson said, “but the guys are excited and it’s great to have our guys back here to start preparing for the season.”
Nelson and Magarity have been in close communication with their players the last few months, and both said players’ summer workout schedules have varied depending on where they live. In New York, for example, gyms are not allowed to re-open until Aug. 24.
Both coaches plan to use the first two weeks as an evaluation period.
“The first two weeks will be really important from a strength and conditioning standpoint,” Nelson said.
From there, the Crusaders will progress.
“We’ll break into small groups and do a lot of skill work, footwork, shooting, fundamentals,” Nelson said, “things we normally do. We’ll evaluate where we’re at and hopefully start to do some 2-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4 competitive stuff, and, hopefully by week four, 5-on-5, up and down the court and get ready for our first practice, which will be at the end of September.”
By NCAA rules, full practices can start 42 days before a team’s first game.
If the start of the season gets pushed back, that will change the timetable.
“That’s a lot more (time for) training,” Magarity said, “and we will have to be creative to keep the team engaged and keep things fresh.”
As the women’s team begins under a new coach and the men look to improve after a three-win 2019-20 season, challenges lie ahead for both programs, but Magarity and Nelson are confident in their players.
“I’m proud of how they’ve handled the last 5½ months,” Nelson said. “Obviously it hasn’t been normal and it hasn’t been easy. They’ve worked and been resilient. The guys are excited to get here. We’ve talked to them a lot and we have to be smart and do our part.
“My number one concern is the health and safety of our players and making sure they’re doing everything they can to keep themselves and everyone on campus safe and healthy. That will be the constant message from me as we go through all this. We all want to have a season, we all want to win ball games and do all that good stuff. You can’t do that if you’re not healthy. Health and safety is the number one concern for these guys.”
“Unless we hear otherwise,” Nelson said, “we’re preparing just like we’re playing Nov. 10.”
Last week, Holy Cross announced it was shifting all learning to a remote model for the fall semester due to concerns of the coronavirus pandemic. Among the very limited number of students that will be allowed to live on campus this fall are the 78 total members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and men’s and women’s hockey teams.
They will all follow a phased-in training schedule, director of athletics Marcus Blossom said, with numerous protocols, such as COVID-19 testing, small-group workouts, proper distancing, and face mask requirements.
“We’re very grateful and thankful for this opportunity,” first-year Holy Cross women’s basketball coach Maureen Magarity said. “With the small amount of students and athletes on campus we are under a microscope and we really have to do the right things. That will give more opportunities for the rest of the student-athletes to come back if we follow the rules and do whatever we can to stay healthy.”
Earlier this week, the NCAA announced it was targeting mid-September for a decision on the start of college basketball, which is scheduled for Nov. 10.
In July, when the Patriot League canceled fall competition, it said it would make decisions surrounding winter and spring sports competitions at a later date.
“The players have a lot of questions and everybody is a little anxious about the unknown, and what it looks like, even for our workouts,” Magarity said. “Once we get to campus and start workout out it will be day to day. Everyone has to be flexible.”
Every member of the women’s team is planning to come back, Magarity said, including freshman Bronagh Powers-Cassidy, who was scheduled to arrive in the U.S. from her home in Dublin, Ireland, this week.
Magarity, who was hired in April, has yet to see her office or meet any of her players in person.
“We have a new staff, a new system and a new team,” Magarity said, “and I think that gives them a little extra incentive just to move forward with everything. I’m super excited.”
All members of the men’s team, which has seven new players on the roster, will also be on campus.
“We have a lot of new guys, so there will be an adjustment basketball-wise and academically,” Nelson said, “but the guys are excited and it’s great to have our guys back here to start preparing for the season.”
Nelson and Magarity have been in close communication with their players the last few months, and both said players’ summer workout schedules have varied depending on where they live. In New York, for example, gyms are not allowed to re-open until Aug. 24.
Both coaches plan to use the first two weeks as an evaluation period.
“The first two weeks will be really important from a strength and conditioning standpoint,” Nelson said.
From there, the Crusaders will progress.
“We’ll break into small groups and do a lot of skill work, footwork, shooting, fundamentals,” Nelson said, “things we normally do. We’ll evaluate where we’re at and hopefully start to do some 2-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4 competitive stuff, and, hopefully by week four, 5-on-5, up and down the court and get ready for our first practice, which will be at the end of September.”
By NCAA rules, full practices can start 42 days before a team’s first game.
If the start of the season gets pushed back, that will change the timetable.
“That’s a lot more (time for) training,” Magarity said, “and we will have to be creative to keep the team engaged and keep things fresh.”
As the women’s team begins under a new coach and the men look to improve after a three-win 2019-20 season, challenges lie ahead for both programs, but Magarity and Nelson are confident in their players.
“I’m proud of how they’ve handled the last 5½ months,” Nelson said. “Obviously it hasn’t been normal and it hasn’t been easy. They’ve worked and been resilient. The guys are excited to get here. We’ve talked to them a lot and we have to be smart and do our part.
“My number one concern is the health and safety of our players and making sure they’re doing everything they can to keep themselves and everyone on campus safe and healthy. That will be the constant message from me as we go through all this. We all want to have a season, we all want to win ball games and do all that good stuff. You can’t do that if you’re not healthy. Health and safety is the number one concern for these guys.”
