Bradley student-athletes and the challenges of COVID-19
Bradley student-athletes have seen their physical and mental health put to the test the last two years as COVID-19 has drastically altered their student-athlete experience.
COVID-19 has affected all aspects of life the last couple of years at Bradley University, and the athletic department is no exception. During the last two years, Bradley athletes have been forced to navigate a world where their mental and physical well-being were constantly being challenged by the pandemic.
Mental Health
“Mentally, I think the toll has been quite substantial,” said Dr. Jessica Higgs, the Director of Health Services at Bradley. “The constant uncertainty of things, the lack of championships in the spring of 2020 and out-of-rhythm seasons after that were really difficult.”
The 2020 spring season was canceled for spring sports such as baseball, softball, and track. Masks were suddenly required at all athletic functions and games were constantly being canceled due to COVID-19 issues within Bradley teams and opposing teams.
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Recruits who had dreamed of a normal college experience instead had to settle for one in which they had to constantly wear a mask and be vigilant to avoid becoming infected with the virus.
Kyra Koontz is a sophomore track athlete at Bradley. Rather than enjoying high-level track competition like she was expecting when she committed to Bradley, she has instead spent the last couple of years worried about missing practices and meets because of being contact traced.
“Coming from a team of roughly 50 to 60 athletes with people living with one another, it is very difficult to recall everyone you came in close contact with and who you didn’t,” said Koontz.
The stress of avoiding situations that could expose athletes to COVID-19 while still trying to enjoy their college experience is one many athletes have found difficult. And even if they did everything perfectly and avoided situations that could heighten their risk to exposure, many athletes still found themselves quarantining, whether it be because they contracted the virus or because they were contact traced.
Attendance at sporting events has also been limited to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Indoor sports have seen the biggest restrictions, while outdoor sports have still seen limited attendance. Athletes were not able to receive the support from their family, friends, and the Bradley community that they usually would.
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Physical Health
While mental health may seem to have taken more prominence during the pandemic, athletes still faced physical challenges as well.
Although most of the COVID-19 cases in the athletic department saw mild symptoms, there was still a difficult recovery period for the athletes when they returned to competition.
After the cancellation of the 2020 spring seasons and the delaying of 2020 fall seasons, many athletes struggled to regain fitness as well, and this lack of fitness led to an increase in sporting injuries acquired as athletes returned to action.
Moving Forward
As we reach the end of the pandemic, much has been learned about the well-being of the athletes, especially involving their mental health. Dr. Higgs believes that this awareness of mental health is the biggest positive to come from the pandemic, one that will hopefully help support staff to better help athletes as we move past the pandemic.