Story #2 (Final)

COVID affects Morningside Baseball

The month of March for the Morningside baseball team is a pretty important month.

They finish up a spring break trip and return to campus to start the conference season against other GPAC opponents.

That’s how it usually goes, but the month of March for 2020 did not go as usual. A few days before playing their GPAC home opener against Mount Marty, the team received word that the season was cancelled. 

With no season last year, Morningside Head Coach Adam Boeve did not want to see a replay of last years season coming into the fall this year.

I asked coach if he thought this year’s season was going to happen or not. Boeve responded with, “I was very adamant on our fall season being able to continue, especially with sports like volleyball and football still practicing over the summer. With all the guidelines and regulation COVID has brought to the campus, we’ve done a great job so far as an athletic program to keep the virus under control.”

The head coach thinks Morningside so far has done a good job keeping our athletes and students safe. “As long as were able to play, I’m a happy guy. Athletics are so important here at Morningside and it’s awesome to see people come together and work towards a safer campus, practice, and season.”

I finally asked Coach what the difference is for planning and operating a baseball team under the strain of this pandemic. He says, “It’s most definitely been a crazy time for a coach like me. Practices have to be scheduled differently; we can’t be within 6ft of each other for more than 15 minutes, masks have to be worn and travel guidelines have completely changed. There is a whole bunch of challenges that have come with COVID-19.”   

Derrick Johnson, a senior last year, explained, “I was a little shocked at the news when I first heard it from coach. Then I realized my senior year was over just like that and I had no control of it.”

The season hadn’t really been in full swing yet as the team only had around 15 games under their belt for a 50-game season.

The seniors of the baseball team were stripped from playing their last season and were planning on graduating on time. Johnson added, “I would have stayed and played another season, but I was already finished with school and had everything planned out to move forward.”

Due to COVID-19, the NAIA granted an extra year of eligibility since the season was cut short. This meant last year seniors had an opportunity to come back and play this year.

Moving forward was the case for all 6 seniors on last year’s team, as no senior from last year returned to the field this fall. Many had thought about returning, but already had jobs and graduate school lined up.

With no returning seniors, the team had new leaders stepping in to replace them.

With high hopes on this year’s baseball season, Senior Camden Parks said he’s “more than ready”, to start the year off, regardless of COVID.

Camden, a 4-year pitcher for the Mustangs has been a key element of success for the team over his career. Camden said, “I feel like once we get to the spring, COVID will not be an issue of the proportion that it is today. We will still wear masks and social distance, but the game won’t be affected as it is now.” 

The game won’t be affected as it is now? Camden claims, “Yeah, in the spring we should be able to shake hands with the other team, sit closer to each other on buses, all the things restricted right now will be less in the spring (I hope).”

Senior Braden Smutz said he agrees with Camden. Smutz added, “The spring is a long ways away and who knows what could happen. But, if we’re optimistic, then we can hope for the best. Hopefully some restrictions like Camden mentioned will be lifted.”