This year is uncharted territory for coaches of high school sports teams, just like so many jobs and families are experiencing due to the health crisis caused by the coronavirus.
There are more important things than the games and practices, but soccer coaches across the state are still trying to navigate what it’s like to be the leader of a team that doesn’t know when, or if, they’ll play a game this year.
When schools aren’t in session, like many in the state, they aren’t allowed to practice or play games. And the Nebraska School Activities Association has suspended all competitions until April 2. The suspension may be extended if the conditions warrant.
The suspended sports include soccer, track and field, baseball, boys golf and girls tennis.
For Fremont boys coach Sean Murphy, there isn’t anything that’s comparable to this.
“What’s crazy is I’ve coached football for years, coached basketball for 18 years, soccer now for 17 years, and I’ve never not known there to be sports and activities,†said Murphy on Tuesday afternoon. “We have kids texting us asking when we’re going to be back playing, and you just really don’t have the answer. We’ve never been in this situation where. The sun is out right now and it’s a beautiful day and we’re all inside."
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This is the first week that many coaches have had to suspend all team activities, but in Fremont that began one week earlier when school was canceled. The team’s last practice was on March 7. The earlier closure in Fremont came after the state’s first confirmed coronavirus case participated in a Special Olympics basketball tournament in Fremont on Feb. 29.
Spring practices in Nebraska began on March 2. It was after just one week of practice that Fremont had to suspend them. Murphy gave the players suggestions on what they could do for conditioning, but there is only so much you can do by yourself.
“You know soccer is kind of tough when you just kick the ball and it never rolls back to you,†Murphy said.
Fremont’s first game would have been on Thursday against Lincoln High. But you must keep things in perspective, Murphy said.
“Obviously last year dealing with the flood, and then this, you’re losing time now, but obviously the health and safety of kids and families and spectators is more important,†Murphy said.
For many soccer players, especially boys, soccer is the only high school sport they play. For about 40 of the 45 boys players at Fremont, soccer is their only high school sport.
“I feel bad for my seniors,†Murphy said. “This is what they’ve been waiting for all year.â€
Last week was normal for many teams in Lincoln. But then on Friday, Lincoln Public Schools announced that there would be no school the following week, which also meant no soccer.
The Lincoln Southwest boys soccer team practiced Friday just after getting the news that school was canceled, and then had one more practice on Saturday, not knowing when they’d be together again.
Superintendent Steve Joel said he’s been getting lots of questions from families about everything from graduation ceremonies to spring sports to prom and he doesn’t have all the answers yet. But they’re working on it.
“At the start of training I just kind of talked to the guys and said we obviously don’t know what’s going on and what the future holds, but let’s just use this session to better ourselves as a team and just try to be as prepared as possible if we do get the opportunity to play this season,†said Southwest boys coach Derek Scheich.
This season means something different for each Southwest player, Scheich said. For the juniors, this year is a good opportunity to be evaluated by college coaches, especially during the state tournament. For two of the six seniors, they made the varsity team for the first time this year.
“You got other kids like Parker Jeppson, he’s (an NCAA) Division I signee (to Northern Illinois) and he was a second-team Super-State player last year, and his goal this year is to be first-team Super State,†Scheich said. “Obviously, that’s going to be difficult, even if we get to play a shortened season, or he may not get that opportunity. Different kids are coping with different things, and bummed out. We’re trying to keep the spirits high of the players, and telling them that nothing is final yet.â€
Scheich has been posting on social media drills for the players to do. On Tuesday that included a 1½-mile run.
“Just anything to keep the kids sharp and in shape in the event that something breaks our way and we can play our season,†Scheich said.