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Alan Swank
General User
Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,022
Status: Offline
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| Message from our AD |
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Posted: 4/3/2020 6:36:22 PM |
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Got this email today. Post for those who may not have seen it yet.
Bobcat Friends and Family,
As we find ourselves in historic circumstances, we hope you, your family and loved ones are healthy and well.
It is hard to believe that just a few weeks have passed since the escalation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic across our nation. While we are living this public health crisis individually and collectively, our student-athletes are learning the difficult -- but essential -- lesson that life often takes an unexpected turn. And, sometimes, things happen that are simply beyond our individual control.
On March 12, our men’s and women’s basketball teams were in Cleveland for the MAC Basketball Tournaments. Our Bobcat women’s basketball team had advanced to the semifinals, and the student-athletes were enjoying a day of rest and as they prepared to continue their late-season momentum and push toward completing their #UnfinishedBusiness from last season. Our men’s team was at RocketMortgage FieldHouse in pregame warmups after a strong regular season finish, ready to give top-seeded Akron all it could handle in the first quarterfinal game of the men’s bracket. When the decision was made to cancel the tournament, our men’s basketball team huddled up, said goodbye to our seniors, then engaged in a spirited five-on-five scrimmage, enjoying the chance to play together on an NBA court. While both teams were disappointed, they also understood that this public health crisis is bigger than basketball. It wasn’t easy to hear. It certainly wasn’t easy to accept, but I remain incredibly proud of our student-athletes and the maturity they showed on that day and in the weeks since. If you would like to hear more about events in Cleveland from those who were there, please listen to Russ Eisenstein’s call of “Canceled in Cleveland” and our latest episode of Bobcat Tracks, featuring Katie Barker.
The next day, I met with our baseball and softball teams and watched again as our Bobcat student-athletes absorbed their own disappointment in the cancellation of their seasons, then began to ask how they could ensure the safety of their families and others throughout our communities. Within a few days, nearly all our student-athletes turned in their gear and left campus understanding they would likely not return this semester. Eventually, difficult decisions were made to cancel all Ohio University events and activities, including spring football, and we transitioned to virtual instruction for the remainder of the semester. For some of our student-athletes who were far from home as the pandemic spread, fear and uncertainty for their loved ones was elevated, even as the spirit of their home communities inspired hope. Our 2019 MAC Volleyball Setter of the Year Vera Giacomazzi, who is from San Vendemiano, Italy, joined our Bobcat Tracks podcast to share her personal experience with the pandemic and its impact on her family and home community.
As we have adapted over the last few weeks to new practices such as virtual learning, working remotely and social distancing, I have been extremely impressed by our student-athletes, coaches and staff as they are adjusting to our “new normal.” We’ve taken several measures to remain connected as a department and to prepare to serve our student-athletes and our supporters in new ways, using new technologies and new approaches. Through social media, we’ve celebrated past highlights, shared our strategies for working from home and even had some fun as we’ve encouraged everyone to stay healthy and be active while sheltering in place. In fact, over 500 Bobcats across the country responded via Twitter to receive personalized jerseys for their custom Ohio wallpapers and virtual backgrounds this week on #WallpaperWednesday.
For updates regarding COVID-19 response efforts and departmental operations, please feel free to visit our Web site at: www.ohiobobcats.com . There, you will find a helpful Q&A, as well as digital content to stay engaged and up-to-speed on all OHIO Athletics activities. We also encourage you to visit the University’s COVID-19 resource page at https://www.ohio.edu/coronavirus and participate in the #BobcatsTakeCare campaign at bobcatstakecare.ohio.edu
As our world continues to evolve, we are using this time to evaluate our Athletics operations, to investigate new technologies, to realize operational efficiencies and to develop new strategies to guide our pursuit of excellence. These are uncertain times, but we are staying connected, and we are preparing to return stronger than ever. In the coming week, we will roll out revised timelines for season ticket renewals and a new look for our Ohio Bobcat Club website, which will include our updated OBC Membership Guide. We also will introduce less restrictive guidelines that will be more donor-centric and will encourage impactful giving in support of our student-athletes and sports programs. For those of you who enjoy our annual Bobcat Caravans, we are exploring ways to take our show on the virtual road until we can gather again in person. You’ll hear more from us about these initiatives in the very near future.
Finally, we wish for you and your loved ones the health, safety and security that will enable us all to bounce back from this pandemic. Coach Solich said it best last week while “Zooming” with his players during a virtual team meeting to discuss our current circumstances: “Our character will give us the advantage. Other teams will fall apart, but we are built for these challenges and we will be stronger.”
When it’s time, we will return. And Cats will Come Together once again to stand for the Green and White.
Go Bobcats!!
Julie Cromer
Director of Athletics
Ohio University
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