by Joey Colbert, reporter
OMAHA – A UNO soccer player is eager to compete with her teammates again as the Summit League announced the schedule resuming fall sports, including major sports soccer and volleyball.
The conference announced the decision to postpone fall sports on Aug. 11, 2020, due to the concerns surrounding the pandemic. For UNO Soccer player Avarie Howard, she expected this decision to happen.
“I was staying positive, but I think I saw it coming,” Howard said.
Not long after the league’s decision, 13 UNO athletes across four teams tested positive for the coronavirus as of early September. Without a fall season, Howard and her teammates utilized the extended offseason to get fully prepared for spring.
“I think we all just still wanted to see each other and go to practice and enjoy being around each other,” Howard said. “We only had like three real practices, so I think we just kind of wanted to still be able to play.”
The fall sports postponement shifted gears for coaches and student-athletes as the summit league moved them all in the spring. Howard is now eager to get back on the field and continue competing in the sport she loves.
“This is kind of like our offseason training and just trying to get us back in the group, and just, you know, building up our fitness and getting back to getting touches on the ball and getting us comfortable with one another,” Howard said.
While most student-athletes, coaches, and fans disagree with other conferences’ decisions to cancel sports, Howard thought the decision was made for the best for the athlete’s health.
“I think it was probably the right decision just because of how many athletes across the country were coming back to school and testing positive,” Howard said. “For liability purposes, I think there’s a lot that they have to be responsible for.”
With the return of UNO sports approaching, COVID safety measures are most-likely put into effect if there is, indeed, competition. That could mean enforcing social distancing and mask mandates or even restricting attendance in arenas and stadiums.
“I think the university has been very vigilant in making sure that we stop the spread of COVID among both our student-athletes and just the general student body,” said Jack Hoover, sports editor for the UNO Gateway.
The UNO Men’s and Women’s Soccer season is scheduled to begin their season in February. As for winter sports, the NCHC announced the hockey pod taking place at Baxter Arena from Dec. 1 to 20.
The men’s and women’s basketball season will begin shortly after Thanksgiving with some non-conference games followed by the Summit League’s respected scheduling format. You could visit the Omaha Mavericks website to check out the updated schedule for fall and winter sports.
