Sam Nahrgang - NAIT Athletics
EDMONTON, Alta. – Last week, the NAIT Ooks student-athletes returned to school to begin a far from typical academic year. The court sports teams (volleyball, basketball, and badminton) began training for the anticipated 2020-2021 season, scheduled to begin in January.
Typically, the student-athletes at the Edmonton based polytechnic institute would be juggling their first week of classes, with a full training schedule, along with settling into new living situations. This September looks much different than years past, thanks to the effects of COVID-19.
More than half of degree, diploma, and certificate programs and most apprenticeship courses are being delivered in a blended format of virtual and in-person instruction for the fall term in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19 by restricting the number of people who are on campus.
Devon Klein of the men's volleyball team explained the major differences in schooling this year:
"Being fully online, it's a lot more self-learning. We have classes over zoom or Microsoft teams, but there isn't much work being done in class. It's more information gathering. You are forced to be more organized and self-dependent on getting your work done."
The online schooling makes for a much different routine for student-athletes. Now they will be staying at home for education and then coming to campus to train.
"There is much less social interaction. We stay at home for school, come to the gym, train, and leave. We don't see any of the other teams, and the campus is empty," said the fifth year Edmonton native.
"We also have to train in cohorts. Outside of training, we remain in our "bubble," which isn't that much different since most of us live together."
Training itself much looks different this season as well. All teams and student-athletes will be adhering to very strict COVID-19 health and safety guidelines while coming to campus and training. Student-athletes will be required to train within their cohorts, they will also be required to fill out several forms before coming to campus for the first time, and then every time they return to NAIT after that.
"We all check-in on the NAIT alert app before we get to campus. We show up at the gym already changed, and we now bring our own water bottles. When we finish training, we leave immediately so the coaches can sanitize all of the equipment for the next team," said Klein.
Many parties have put tireless work into the processes and precautions required to allow the NAIT Ooks to get back to at least training. The student-athletes understand they need to do their part.
"Everyone understands the situation; we all know we need to do our part to increase our chances of having a season. I feel for the first-year players because this is all they know as of now, they haven't gotten the full experience of the NAIT & NAIT Ooks community," continued Klein.
The NAIT Ooks hockey and curling teams will begin training in October. If all goes well, the NAIT Ooks hope to get back to exhibition competition closer to Christmas in preparation for the ACAC, set to begin in January.