MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GU1999]

I would not disagree.  I was just stating that currently in Illinois under the state 4 standards the current summer sports scene looks almost indistinguishable from any other year.

[GU1999]

I think that an added layer of complexity for a conference like the SLIAC is that the membership includes Prin, a Christian Scientist school.  I suspected that such a school would be hyper vigilant on the personal health and well being side which would inevitably not lend itself to hosting or travelling for competitions.   

  https://www.kuow.org/stories/how-do-christ

[WUPHF]

Principia is definitely an interesting case.  So many layers...

[y_jack_lok]

Everyone I talk to is publicly optimistic about the Fall season, even if scaled back, and even more optimistic about the Winter season, but if you look at the move by St. Louis County to limit youth sports based on a supposed spike in youth cases (n. 26 as of yesterday), I think the Fall is surely going to be cancelled.

To what do you attribute the public optimism of these folks with whom you talk?

[hopefan]

Here's a question... IF it is announced that fall sports are cancelled, will those athletes who are impacted return to school anyway, or will they decide to take a year off and retain their remaining eligibility?  I would imagine a certain percentage of student athletes faced still with the possibility of covid exposure on campus AND no sports competition might think about taking a year off.... and to carry it further, given the already small numbers that most SLIAC schools deal with, could they afford to lose 20, 30 or more students?

It's a mess.....

[Titan Q]

Here's a question... IF it is announced that fall sports are cancelled, will those athletes who are impacted return to school anyway, or will they decide to take a year off and retain their remaining eligibility?  I would imagine a certain percentage of student athletes faced still with the possibility of covid exposure on campus AND no sports competition might think about taking a year off.... and to carry it further, given the already small numbers that most SLIAC schools deal with, could they afford to lose 20, 30 or more students?

It's a mess.....

This is where it gets scary for most D3 schools.

[Pat Coleman]

Agreed -- I fear that some of the stated optimism is more along the lines of hopes by schools that they will be able to hold onto their enrollment for the fall. I'm not ascribing a blanket negative intent or deception to the schools in question -- more that they are hoping for a more positive outcome.

[Titan Q]

Agreed -- I fear that some of the stated optimism is more along the lines of hopes by schools that they will be able to hold onto their enrollment for the fall. I'm not ascribing a blanket negative intent or deception to the schools in question -- more that they are hoping for a more positive outcome.

I think that's fair.

[WUPHF]

The optimism comes primarily from a deep desire to make it work for the students. 

No one works at a college or university for the money, but instead we do it to serve others.

I said this elsewhere, but I do think colleges will lose student-athletes if varsity seasons are cancelled, but colleges may also lose students-athletes if the seasons are a go.

I also mentioned this elsewhere, but the number of people between the ages of 0-24 in the US is very, very small (~200) and 94% of those deaths included comorbidities according to the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm#AgeAndSex

The number is even smaller in Europe where people ages 0-24 are healthier on average.

So, take the healthiest 18-23 year-old students in the United States and bring them back to college and then add one activity that exposes them to a very limited number of other incredibly healthy 18-23 year-old students and what?  How much does this increase the risk? 

How long do we remain in quasi-shut-down mode?  It is not as if we have a vaccine ready for the return to normal in 2021-2022.

I vehemently defended Johns Hopkins in March, and was right given how little was known about Covid-19, but I am just not sure I agree with the measures that many colleges and universities are implementing.   

Yes, I am concerned about Covid-19 infections that leave people with life-long health problems, but what does that number look like?

[Gregory Sager]

Agreed -- I fear that some of the stated optimism is more along the lines of hopes by schools that they will be able to hold onto their enrollment for the fall. I'm not ascribing a blanket negative intent or deception to the schools in question -- more that they are hoping for a more positive outcome.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I imagine the geographic footprint of students will impact how schools open. UAA institutions are going to have a much harder time bringing students to campus when they're just as likely to come from FL, AZ, and TX than just down the street. Even in our small state where COVID numbers are doing very well, Delaware State is opening in person (most students from the northeast) while U of Delaware is opening definitely(a much more national institution). In some ways it's much easier to make calls for k-12 schools, because the geography is so much more predictable.

[WUPHF]

Among the Chancellor, President and Provost-level folks, yes.

How do you balance bringing people back with the risk of becoming a hashtag on Twitter and the possibility that you have to close things down, either for the semester or for good?

I do not talk to these folks as much.

[y_jack_lok]

Thanks for the info WUPHF.

While the risk of death of 18-23 year olds is not high, isn't the greater concern the spread to others outside that age group? At colleges/universites that includes just about everyone else -- faculty, administration, coaches, maintenance, food service, etc. I have read several articles about individuals who are "superspreaders", inccluding this one from MIT Technology review : https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/15/1003576/whats-a-coronavirus-superspreader/ It's not yet possible to identify superspreaders in advance. Outdoor sports might be okay and could even allow spectators. Indoor sports, though, are riskier and, if allowed to go forward, probably will have to do so without spectators.

There is still so much to be learned about this virus.

[hopefan]

FWIW.... the Sunshine State Conference (hopefans local D2 conference which includes Eckerd, just a 5 minute drive from our condo) announced postponement of all fall sports until next spring.... winter sports agenda will be determined by Oct 1...

Of course with Florida's abysmal Covid numbers, it comes as no surprise....

[hopefan]

Webster fans and SLIAC fans... fun article to read as Coach Chris Bunch selects 15 all decade players... great memories!!

https://websterathletics.com/news/2020/7/20/2010s-all-decade-teams-mens-basketball.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3ue_cF-JbqXoJXbleyfJplpTQJYoxQQMh7Gl4Z-vIkS37DkvrBwddmxME

TO  :  SLIAC coaches or SIDS who read this site....... it would be great fun to have other SLIAC schools do the same analysis!!!