The Ivy League's much-anticipated "plan for spring competition and training" (LINK) was referenced by Peter Roby in a story published in The Dartmouth about his new role as the college's interim director of athletics. From the story (LINK):
“This announcement is just the beginning of a lot of planning,” Roby said. “… We’re going to do everything in our power to see if we can put some competition together for our spring athletes. … If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be due to a lack of effort.”
While Roby has not spoken yet with other schools regarding spring competition, he mentioned the University of New Hampshire, the University of Vermont, the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Merrimack College as nearby schools that could potentially be interested in competition this spring.
Green Alert Take: It might be slim pickings for DI baseball and softball opponents because neither New Hampshire nor Vermont fields a team in either sport.
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Roby is trying to put as good a face on the spring as possible but Brown baseball coach Grant Achilles is clearly losing patience. The seventh-year coach Tweeted (LINK):
In the days since the Ivy Council of Presidents’ announcement (and during the 11 months of ambiguity and inconsistent application of protocols preceding it) players, parents and alumni have spoken out to advocate for the programs they love. As the leader of the baseball program, I am compelled to speak out on behalf of my 27 players and coaching staff.
Student-athletes returned to campus with high hopes for the spring. They quarantined for the 14-day “quiet period,” pausing workouts at a critical time. They strictly adhered to the campus guidelines for best practices (including the mandated twice weekly asymptomatic testing). Despite the players' best efforts, I struggle to believe that our league’s leadership ever legitimately intended for spring sports to return to competition. The lack of transparency through this process now leaves student-athletes on campus, learning virtually, unable to compete in the sport they love . . . again.
The proposed path forward to “limited local competition” has illuminated a failure to understand what it actually means to provide an “unrivaled experience” for Division I student-athletes. The Ivy League was the only Division I conference whose leadership failed to find a safe and workable solution for a return to competition. Consequently, these students had their academic and athletic experiences ripped from their grasp for the second consecutive year. Our student-athletes deserve better.
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While the Ivy League struggles to find a way to play spring sports the state of Massachusetts has found a way even to return its high school football players to the field. From a story headlined: High School Football Is Back In Massachusetts; Amid a year of coronavirus uncertainty and months of doubt if there could be a season in the full-contact sport first practices are Monday (LINK):
Practice begins Monday with the first of three no-pad days with helmets only just like it would in August. Thursday is the first day of "limited contact" practice with pads and tackling sleds. Saturday is the first day of full-contact practices.
Games could begin by the end of the third week.
While players will have to wear masks, be spaced out on the sidelines and are prohibited from huddling in a circle, gameplay was left largely intact.
Find the MIAA Rules Modifications & Guidelines that are being followed in Massachusetts to allow a spring football season HERE.
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EXTRA POINT
There aren't that many places for the NHL to hold an outdoor weekend that could challenge Lake Tahoe for sheer natural beauty. I've been to Tahoe in the summer but haven't been there in the winter so I was surprised to learn it doesn't freeze. I have to admit I was a little disappointed that the games couldn't be played on the lake instead of alongside it.
Thinking about that I came up with a fun idea. It would never happen, but how cool would it be for the NHL to play a game actually on a lake, but not just any lake. How about a lake that straddles the border between the United States and Canada? They could arrange the "rink" so that every time a player crosses the red line he also crosses the international border!
To that end, I hereby nominate Lake Memphremagog, which straddles the border between Newport, Vt., and Magog, QC, for a future NHL game. And not to worry, there would be plenty of camera candy for TV viewers:
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| Speed skating on Memphremagog |
