College Sports Are Back!

High Point University Athletes and Staff are Preparing for busy Winter and Spring Seasons

By Danny Shay
Q News

When the sports world went dark in March due to the outbreak of COVID-19, athletes didn’t know when they would be able to play again. With the pros suiting back up this summer in most of the major sports, it was still a big question as to whether or not college sports would start-up in the fall. Most major conferences went on with fall sports but here at HPU, the Big South Conference postponed most fall sports to the spring season.

Given that the fall sports are moved to the spring, it seems like there will be a game every day to watch. This postponement has given the athletic department here at High Point University some time to relax and figure out a gameplan before it gets crazy.

Timeline of HPU Athletics in 2020

How are Athletes Getting Prepared?

When the Big South conference along with

all the other conferences in the country went dark back in March, that was the last time many athletes saw competitive action. That includes fall athletes here at High Point University when the Big South delayed fall sports to the spring.

Sophomore AJ Kiernan has not played competitive lacrosse since the spring. The HPU lacrosse team is the most popular team on campus being the only team that has seen national attention over the past few years. When asked about having his first season taken away from him due to the emergence of the Coronavirus he had this to say, “it was really frustrating. Putting in all the work in the summer, fall, and winter to have it all taken away was really tough.”

With not having played since the spring, AJ along with many other athletes has had to stay in game-ready shape for over 8 months now with his season right around the corner. “I’ve stayed in game shape by constantly working on my game and running every day. Also making sure I keep my diet right and get rid of all the junk food.”

This spring season at High Point will be very different for athletes like AJ. The lacrosse team is typically used to owning Vert Stadium during the spring sports season but that is not the case due to the postponement of fall sports to the spring by the Big South Conference. “The biggest thing that will change is the times we play our games. It’s usually on Saturdays so with sports like soccer it could be changed to a Friday.” That could mess up an athlete’s schedule so when asked about if that could affect his team AJ had this to say, “I am not nervous at all. Me and my teammates are extremely eager to get back out and compete against other teams.”

The Athletic Department at HPU is Ready to go!

The athletic department at High Point University is typically one of the busiest places on campus throughout the year due to the fact that there are constantly sports happening throughout the year. But since the pandemic hit, they have been more quiet than usual.

Spencer Hazen works in the athletic department making all kinds of graphics for all the major division one sports teams here at HPU. “I think the biggest thing on all of our minds at the athletic department is that for the first time since March, we’re gonna play an actual game in the next few days.”

Spencer is a sophomore here at HPU and has been working in the athletic department since he stepped foot on campus. He acknowledged that the spring will look very different in the athletic office this year. “When spring rolls around, everyone at the athletic department is well aware that it is going to be a grind. We lost about half of our staff last spring to COVID and budgeting concerns so it will certainly be interesting to see how we manage twice the amount of games with half the staff that we are accustomed to.”

Although the department is ready to go and is prepared for the challenge ahead, Spencer acknowledges that help from the students on campus would help the athletic department work through the combined fall and spring season upcoming. “It’s gonna come down to the department relying on students to fill these gaps, a huge opportunity for students to show what they’re capable of.”

HPU Sportslink Will be Busier Than Ever

With the Big South announcing many schedules such as men's soccer, HPU Sportslink is going to be busier than ever along with the athletic department. HPU Sportslink is the student-run organization on campus that broadcasts all HPU sporting events directly to ESPN+.

Junior, Harris Eisenberg is the director of broadcasting for the organization. He has been with the organization since his freshman year. “Sportslink has given me opportunities like working in the office and editing footage. I think being in the office gets me excited for the season because the office is busy and everyone knows there are big things to come.”

Sportslink is busy throughout the year regardless but this spring the club will be busier than ever according to Eisenberg. “...this spring is going to be a lot busier. To prepare I’ve been in the office more than ever talking to more people in the athletic department just getting their expectations on what the season is going to be like. Also watching last year’s footage and getting stats on current players.”

Podcast on the effects of COVID-19 on HPU Sports and College Football

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