By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
To say handling this past summer and fall semester has not been challenging and at times frustrating, would be a lie, according to Barton Community College Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs. That is the reality for Rolfs and athletic directors across the country as they try to figure out what is happening for athletics.
Despite cross country and e-sports being the only two competitions occurring this fall, the Barton athletic department has been busy with students getting home safely, arriving again on campus, quarantine sessions, testing protocols and the madness that will occur when the majority of their sports will be taking place at the same time starting in January.
The
Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, which Barton is part of, has
decided when athletic events do return in 2021, there will be no fans allowed
through at least Feb. 5.
"With games not really starting until Jan. 20, this will give our league a couple of weeks to see how things are going and check the climate," said Rolfs. "We'll see if there will be the allowance of fans moving forward on Feb. 6 or not. We'll have to see how this COVID thing plays out."
The conference will meet on Feb. 1 to reevaluate the COVID-19
situation to see if allowing fans going forward is a good idea.
The KJCCC was
ahead of many collegiate conferences in deciding this past summer that that the
majority of its fall and winter sports would not start until mid-January. The
National Junior College Athletic Association also announced the 2020-2021
season will not count towards any athlete’s eligibility, regardless of the
extent of their participation this year.
"Somebody said the other day, if we get half the games in for basketball, it will probably be a successful season," said Rolfs. "That is just based on what we have seen this fall."
The first basketball game without fans for Barton is scheduled for Jan. 20.