SPORTS
10 | The Villanovan
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
SPORTS
Action is Greater than Words: The UNITAS Initiative Meghann Morhardt Staff Writer The UNITAS Initiative is a program that was developed by the Athletics Department in 2017 to bring attention to diversity and equality issues, as well as to give the student-athletes a platform to share their stories and experiences. Over the course of the last few months, however, the program has grown and taken more action than ever in light of recent events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and racial injustice. The UNITAS mission states: “We can do more. We will do more. We are committed to meaningful collaboration so that we may better craft an athletic department that is welcoming and nurturing for all of our student-athletes.” The Athletics Department realizes that Black student-athletes on this campus have unique experiences and need a platform to share them and bring to light the injustice that they face. This program involves all student-athletes and coaches, but the department has also assembled a Leadership Committee that is made up of athletics staff, student-athletes, a few university staff members from the Office of Intercultural Affairs, a few from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and a communications
professor. Having this committee will provide University and Athletics staff the opportunity to listen to and learn from Black student-athletes and their experiences. One of the goals of this initiative is to give these athletes more equal opportunities to stand in leadership positions and use their voices for change. Three student-athletes that are a part of the leadership committee are Sanaä Barnes (Women’s Volleyball/Track and Field), Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (Men’s Basketball) and Danielle Burns (Women’s Track and Field), all of whom are also founders of the student-led group The 13%. While The 13% is a separate organization from UNITAS, the two groups have similar goals and will work together to take action in the future. UNITAS is based on seven core principles: Listen and Learn, Pray, Educate, Invest, Collaborate, Diversify and Lead. The group sees these as the building blocks to creating real change and works to take action specific to each principle. Some of these actions include student-athletes sharing stories on Jay Wright’s podcast, hosting forums and meetings with staff and athletes, fundraising for programs on campus that focus on diversity and inclusion, the Let’s Vote Nova campaign, holding student-athlete masses to unite the department through prayer and
many others. This initiative has created a platform for student-athletes to take on more of a leadership role when it comes to racial issues as well as fostering the tough conversations that need to happen in order to create change. This initiative will continue to grow and expand, especially with the strong student-athletes they have placed on the Leadership Committee. Villanova Athletics is com-
mitted to making change and taking action. Like the mission statement says, “Action is greater than words. The responsibility lies with all of us.” To learn more about the UNITAS Initiative and any upcoming events that they are hosting, you can visit its new page on the Villanova Athletics website, which highlights its mission on campus and goals for Black student-athletes competing for Villanova.
The UNITAS logo is being used to spread the message about this new initiative. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Women’s Rowing Begins Off the Water Training Madison Burke Co-Sports Editor The Villanova women’s rowing team typically practices and competes in both the fall and spring seasons. However, due to COVID-19, fall competitions have been postponed, and the team is unable to practice on the water.
The cancelled fall season leaves them with one option: land practices on the ergometer, or erg. An erg is a rowing machine, found in most gyms, that simulates the same motion used when rowing a boat. A treadmill is to running as an erg is to rowing; both are monotonous and cardiovascular-dependent. Nevertheless, it is the best way to get into rowing shape
The team training for the spring season last year before getting sent home. Courtesy of @novarowing Instagram
without being in boats. Athletes other than rowers use ergs for a few minutes because they are a wonderful training tool. However, the rowing team is on the machine for one to two hours a day, rather than just a few minutes. Rowing programs around the country are struggling with training plans due to the inability to get in a boat. Most teams will be staying on land until getting the all-clear from their athletic departments, considering social distancing is difficult in a boat with nine athletes stuck at arms distance from eachother. The University is no different; the team has implemented strict policies and uses training pods to keep athletes and coaches safe while on the erg. Training pods are made of three to four athletes. All pods must socially distance from one another since erging is a stationary activity. Workout and practice times vary each day to limit the number of athletes training at once and to allow the coaches to stay socially distanced from the group. This is a particularly strange set up for the rowing team because, usually, athletes are close together, in sync with each other and occasionally cheering one another on. A coxswain, whose main job is to give calls to rowers, is now six feet away but still trying to hype up the team. Many sports teams and professional athletes are adjusting to new COVID-19 regulations, and that
means finding new ways to keep motivated in these distanced times. For the University rowing team, like professional athletes around the world, Zoom meetings are a difficult adjustment when a team is used to seeing each other in person everyday. Although facing similar struggles, college athletes do not have the same resources as professional competitors. Student athletes cannot go into a bubble and practice without masks with their teammates. Collegiate athletes are on campus with thousands of other young students who are all looking to continue their education and undergraduate experience in the best way possible during these restricted times. We have seen with plenty of other universities that the struggles of returning to school in the midst of a global pandemic is immensly dangerous. As of right now, the University’s dedication to The CARITAS Commitment has been successful and hopefully will allow for the semester to continue on campus through November. Student-athetes can hope that their sport will resume in the spring. All athletes at the University are hoping to return to campus and move forward with a somewhat normal spring season. The rowing team will continue to workout on land, but athletes have their fingers crossed in hopes of returning to the Schuylkill River to practice for a possible race soon.
