A Path Forward for Fall Athletics

    It’s been more than four months with no athletic activity on both the Finger Lakes Community College campus and college campuses across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FLCC Athletics Department has crafted a path forward to bring athletics back on campus this fall, while also implementing vital health protocols to create a safe atmosphere for student-athletes.  

     FLCC’s cross country, logging sports, and eSports will compete in the fall under an amended athletics plan that was approved by the College this week. The plan aligns with the safety guidelines set forth by both New York state and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

     Cross Country will compete in a region-only schedule developed by Region III member institutions who offer cross country. The logging sports schedule will be determined by participation among four-year colleges and will be finalized in the weeks ahead.

     Men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball will be moved to the spring semester in adherence with the NJCAA’s return to play plan announced earlier this month. Men’s and women’s basketball, which normally competes later in the fall, will begin their competitive seasons in January.

     In the spring, besides men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball, the Lakers’ baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s track and field teams will also compete. The athletic department will utilize all grass and turf facilities to provide opportunities for all of the student-athletes who are competing this spring.

     “This has been a challenging time for college athletics as we balance the need to keep our student athletes safe while also trying to develop a plan to return to play,” said Samantha Boccacino, FLCC’s director of athletics. “This path forward allows for engaging opportunities for our student athletes while prioritizing their health and safety. We are looking forward to seeing our Lakers return.”

     The department of athletics developed a Return to Play plan spearheaded by an internal COVID-19 athletics action team consisting of faculty members, coaches, athletic administrators, an athletic trainer, student-athletes and representatives from facilities. This internal group was formed to provide a phased plan of athletic activities, starting with low-density small groups.

    “This group had a tremendous task at hand and was accepting of all ideas. The countless hours of hard work in and out of virtual meetings were endless. I could not have been more thankful for everyone’s work and I felt honored to be chosen for the committee,” said Jorge Oropeza (Greece, N.Y./ Greece Athena), a member of the COVID-19 team who lost his 2020 baseball season due to the coronavirus.

     Jaylea Ransom (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy), a member of the women’s basketball team, also contributed to the path forward on the COVID-19 athletics action team.

     Under the Return to Play plan, teams will be allowed to practice this fall in condensed small groups at staggered meeting times. In addition, all teams will have a virtual engagement option for their student-athletes. Other virtual student-athlete programming, including leadership and character development, will be offered throughout the fall semester. Academic monitoring measures will be in place, including virtual study halls, weekly academic checks by athletic administration, and additional academic support seminars from campus partners.

     Additional safety measures this fall will include: regular health screenings for student-athletes and coaches, proper social distancing, wearing masks whenever possible, disinfection, and COVID-19 education. No spectators will be allowed at FLCC games in adherence with a state mandate for collegiate athletics. Additionally, the department of athletics will continue to provide athletic training services through their partnership with Rochester Regional Health.

     The cancellation of spring sports earlier this year is something that spring student-athletes will never forget. Sophomore Hunter Brignall (Seneca Falls, N.Y./Mynderse Academy), a dual sport student-athlete in track and field and cross country, is looking forward to returning to the Bruce Bridgeman cross country course this fall.

     “Not getting to compete during track this past season was something I never imagined would happen and was difficult to comprehend. Now, it has been almost a year without racing at FLCC and the thought of being able to toe the line in September again with my teammates is something I am really looking forward to,” said Brignall.

      Brignall received honorable All-American accolades and came in first place at the Mid-State Athletic Conference (MSAC) championship meet during the fall 2019 season. In addition he was MSAC Runner of the Year and a member of the NJCAA Region III All-Region team.

     Athletes in the eSports program may be the least impacted, as players can practice and play in their homes. FLCC became the first institution to offer a varsity eSports team in Region III of the NJCAA, and just the second institution in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

     “The digital world is where eSports thrives and our student-athletes are already fully prepared to engage in ‘Overwatch,’ ‘Rainbow 6: Siege,’ ‘League of Legends,’ and ‘Smash Ultimate’ this coming fall,” said Michael VanEtten, a faculty member and coach of the program. “In cooperation with the NJCAA, we’re expanding our reach into new regional conferences with area colleges. In a time when engagement is absolutely critical to continued student success, eSports is thrilled to provide this opportunity.”

   FLCC’s athletics department is thrilled to welcome home their Lakers after this four-plus month absence from competition. The athletic administration and coaches will communicate with student-athletes in the days ahead with important updates. Be sure to check back to FLCC’s athletics website and social media channels for the latest news.