There is no "I" in team, but there is in COVID-19

Preparation and training used to be the focus for collegiate athletics. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, that has all changed. The emphasis has transitioned to one thing: testing negative.

The initial impact of COVID-19 in the early stages of 2020 lead to the indefinite cancellation of all collegiate athletics. Eastern Michigan University’s (EMU) President, James M. Smith, made an official statement on EMU athletics’ website to deliver the disappointing news but emphasized the importance of the cancellation for the student-athletes safety.

​​“The health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff has been our top priority in all actions related to the return to campus this fall. Unlike classroom, residence hall, and campus settings, the field of competition rarely allows for safe physical distancing and may complicate the use of masks or face coverings. These factors create a deep concern for student-athlete health and safety in the current pandemic. Over the past few weeks, we have heard clearly from our state’s health and medical experts indicating that this postponement was the only safe path forward. I know this news affects many of you deeply, and please know that I share in your disappointment.”

Thursday, July 16, 2020, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced the further delay of Fall Olympic sports season, halting all field hockey, football, soccer, volleyball, and cross-country competitions until Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2020. As Fall approached, the original postponed start date proposed by MAC was postponed once more, until Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.

EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics, Scott Wetherbee, released an official statement in a media press conference on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020.

"This is not the outcome anyone would have hoped for, but it is the right one. The health and welfare of our student-athletes, their families, our staff and our fans has to guide all decisions made in regards to competing in intercollegiate athletics. Moving the fall season to the spring hopefully affords our league institutions more time to prepare and fine tune our health and safety precautions. Our department will remain focused on ensuring the safest experience possible, as we pivot to provide training and development opportunities. As is always the case, Eastern Michigan Athletics will fully support our student-athletes through this challenging time in their athletic and academic pursuits."

Eastern Michigan University COVID-19 infographic created by Christian Byers

Wednesday, Nov. 4, arrived and Eastern Michigan’s football program returned to “MACtion,” kicking off a partial-season consisting of six conference-only games concluding in mid-December.

Although athletics had returned, the safety-restrictions and constant fear of a negative COVID test hindered a complete return to normalcy. Since the return of athletics, 87.5% of EMU’s offered athletic programs have suffered postponement or cancellations due to COVID-19. These postponements do not typically conclude with one, multiples games are generally postponed due to COVID-19 complications. 56% of the 37 scheduled meets for the EMU men’s golf team were cancelled due to COVID. The men’s basketball program at Eastern Michigan suffered 10 cancellations out of an 18-game season.

"I can't take new writers to games and show them the ropes. Due to that, I only know one or two people at the Echo. Before me, everybody knew each other."

Luke Gremban emphasized the importance of rebuilding a community within journalism.

“It’s a casualty of the times, unfortunately. That sense of community between us writers, sports people, and journalists as a whole has really suffered. It’s tough to really create a culture, a business, or product.”

Luke Gremban, former Sports Editor at The Eastern Echo

The fuel to rebuild community among people can be applied to everyday life, especially as humans work towards the common goal of overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.

Expressing the importance of unity in team sports, Phil Jackson said, “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ME for the WE.” Jackson’s quote can be applied to humanity on our path of conquering the COVID-19 pandemic. It is dire that humanity works together both on and off the court, field, and track during the seemingly endless waves of the COVID-19 to revitalize even a small sense of normalcy.