On top of seeing their athletes develop into young adults — and if things go right, collecting a few victories along the way — college athletics coaches also carry a healthy yearning for control.
Whether it’s a carrot or a stick, getting those student-athletes to adopt healthy practices habits, keep their grades in good standing and simply become productive citizens often requires an abundance of control.
Andy Shaw, head men’s basketball coach at Allen Community College, admits he’s no different.
“I’m used to having control over the players and everything we do,” Shaw said.
But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, control is a commodity in precious short supply.
“That’s the most frustrating part,” Shaw said. “Right now, we could do everything right and the other team could have to cancel an hour or a day before a game.”
The pandemic, which pushed back the start of the junior college basketball season from early November, is slated to get underway tonight when the Red Devil men’s and women’s basketball teams host Labette County.
It will start a wildly unpredictable season in which teams could be forced to shut down at a moment’s notice if a player tests positive for the coronavirus; or in some cases, if they’re exposed to someone with the virus.
Shaw notes Allen is no different than anyone else in the sporting realm, or in society in general.
“We’re all in the same boat,” he said. ‘We just hope and pray we’re able to get through the season and stay healthy.”
Whitney Shaw, Andy Shaw’s wife and ACC volleyball coach, agrees.
“I think we have to be ready for anything,” she said. “It’s been day-to-day for us since August, anyway. We have to expect some sort of disruption to the season. We hope it doesn’t happen, but we’re not going to be surprised.”
Like the basketball season, ACC’s volleyball season gets underway on Monday, when the Red Devils host Labette.
As with other COVID-19 protocols, the Jayhawk Conference has announced there will be no fans in attendance at games through January, with the Board of Directors revisiting the issue in early February to decide if or how those restrictions are lifted.
Like several other schools, Allen has further developed its live-streaming service for fans to watch ACC’s home games from the safety of their own homes.
Streaming Allen games will require a paid subscription — $7 per contest, or $50 fo a season pass, which covers all sports.
