From the Desk of Robyn Daugherty: The Plan for Fall Sports

Student-Athletes, Parents, Supporters and Fans:

As we approach the beginning of the Fall 2020 term, the athletics landscape looks different. Throughout all of our planning, the health and safety of our student-athletes and our athletics staff have been and continue to be the priority.

Our entire staff remains positive and is thinking creatively as we plan conditioning and practices. The NAIA (our athletics governing body) has moved the championship calendar to the spring semester for our soccer, volleyball and cross country teams. As we receive the new dates for championships, we will formulate our spring semester schedules and practice plans.

For this fall, we believe it is important for our student-athletes to compete in sport. The physical, mental and emotional benefits that come as one works as a part of a team is very valuable in a time like this. We also know that they have not had organized practices and competitions since mid-March, so we want to use a phased-in approach to preparing for competition.

At this time, we plan to follow the schedule below, while also constantly evaluating and revising where needed:

• Aug. 17 – Aug. 21 » Academic classes begin; athletic teams can conduct one fitness test session, one team meeting and one small group meeting – all held outdoors and with physical distancing.
• Aug. 24 – Sept. 19 » This four-week period will be small group-based skill development and strength and conditioning. The participants of each small group will remain the same during the entire four-week period to minimize quarantine risk if an athlete tests positive. The number of athletes in each small group will vary by sport but be kept to as few athletes as possible.
• Sept. 21 – Oct. 14 » The plan is to move into full team practice for these 3.5 weeks as we prepare for competition. These dates may vary by sport, depending on their season.
• Oct. 15 – Nov. 14 » This 4.5-week period is our fall competition season for some of our sports. We will look to play one game a week during this time. Please know we continue to plan for what JBU gameday might look like in regard to spectators and game management.

At this time, we do not have any final decisions from the NAIA or from our conference regarding basketball or track and field; nor do we have a final plan for the timing of our conference cross country meet or our JV Volleyball competition schedule. We will post competition schedules on our website as they are finalized and use our social media platforms to announce any revisions or changes to our plan.

The Golden Eagle is North America's largest bird of prey, extremely swift and can dive at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour. They are resilient and always ready for a challenge. May we mirror our namesake during this unique 2020 year, but most importantly look to Jesus Christ as we unite to weather this storm together.

Sincerely,
Robyn Daugherty
Director of Athletics
John Brown University