Q&A with NABC Board Members for NCAA Division II with Matt Margenthaler, NABC Fourth Vice President, Head Coach, Minnesota State University and Patrick Estepp, Head Coach, Cedarville University What steps are being taken on campuses to address the safety and welfare of students, including studentathletes, regarding precautions and mental health? Be sure that the student-athletes are vigilant about wearing masks and keeping social distance on campus. As much as we normally want our studentathletes out meeting other students, this is a year where we have asked them to keep their circle pretty tight. If possible, an institution should be aggressive in having students quarantine pending test results, which will help keep numbers of positive cases relatively low. Try to test in-season athletes and have symptom checks before beginning each on-court or weight workout. Schedule times for the gym to be available for them to shoot and have a limited number of players that are allowed in the locker room at a time. Utilize adequate equipment to clean things used in practice and basketballs each time they are used. In terms of mental health, the best thing we can do as coaches is get oneon-one time with our athletes. Listen to them and what their concerns are and allow them to feel they have a safe space to voice those how they feel. Keep reminding them that tomorrow is never promised, and while we want to dream about what might be possible for the future, what we have been given is today and the relationships with some great teammates. Let’s make the most of it.
Can you offer some recommendations for restructuring practice drills that are both effective and safe for interaction? For the first two weeks on campus, it may be safe and efficient to have players shooting with their roommate week one and then doing small group workouts week two. From that point on, limit each drill to 10 minutes or less and then break the players up every time when changing drills into separate baskets, so we limit their contact with the same person. Each coach and support staff person should be wearing a mask during workouts. From a mental health perspective, coaches need to find ways to make our drills as competitive and fun as we can. In
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talking to our players, most did a lot of work on their own this summer to improve on their game. What they missed the most was competition and playing. So, we have tried to provide that this fall in as safe a manner as possible.
Coaches are concerned about their teams’ mental and physical health. Your thoughts on how coaches, especially older coaches, are navigating during this pandemic? One assistant coach has tried to minimize times where he meets in person. He has done a really good job keeping social distance and wearing his mask when he is around others. It’s important that if you have a staff member that falls into a higher risk category, allow them to only do what they are comfortable with. And be sure to remind your student-athletes even if they don’t feel like they are at risk, they can do these protective measures because they care about others in our program.
How do you see the protocols for testing for COVID-19 affecting Division II programs? The testing protocols are not just limited to NCAA guidelines. The protocols vary significantly in different states and in many also include quarantines set by the county and the institutions. Hopefully we will have improved access to testing at a reasonable cost and we have to continue to test asymptomatic athletes.
Final Statement from Margenthaler and Estepp We urge coaches in NCAA Division II to join the NABC and help us develop a strong voice on the many issues that we all face today. There are numerous challenges, especially during this pandemic, and the more we can come together the better it will be for coaches and the student-athletes. We are very excited to have Executive Director Craig Robinson and Associate Executive Director Nate Pomeday on board to help us carry out our mission.
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