The COVID-19 pandemic cut spring sports short as well as postponed fall seasons for some athletes at Colorado Mesa University (CMU).
Two of those sports are volleyball and soccer. Both seasons are set to begin in the spring, but the athletes are still practicing. CMU is treating teams as families, encouraging them to stay together and not have a lot of outside contact.
“Men’s soccer is in their own family bubble and we’re asking the guys, only interact with one another […] and the guys have done that. The university’s done a great job of putting in protocols to make sure that teams are staying inside their own personal bubble,” CMU Men’s Soccer Assistant Coach, Alex Garza, said.
Garza also states that he is incredibly impressed with CMU and how they have handled the pandemic and expressed how grateful he was to be with his team again.
CMU men’s soccer is planning on starting a six-game season from March to April, with the possibility of making the RMAC tournament, which gives them a possibility of eight games. Garza is confident in his team, stating this is one of the most talented groups he has seen.
“We’ve done our full-time practice like we normally have been for the first half of the semester, so [we] train 15 or 16 hours a week,” senior goalie Brendan Brown said.
Volleyball has also been practicing like normal, using this time as another offseason to improve themselves.
“We still get to hang out and practice, just like another Spring season. We are focusing more on weights; we’re lifting four days a week. If we were in season we would not be lifting as much,” junior outside hitter Holly Schmidt said.
They are not required to wear masks on the court or field, as they have only been competing with one another. Students from both teams expressed excitement for the spring seasons, as team-building has been at an all-time high in priorities this year.
“Their morale has been really good and it was a concern going in […] when you practice so much with that group, the grind really catches up to you. This group has been focused on getting better, I think they have something to prove,” CMU Volleyball Head Coach, Dave Fleming, said.
Spring schedules will be released as it approaches.
