Basketball, soccer and volleyball competitions have been postponed at Salt Lake Community College until Spring 2021 because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) decided Monday that a “majority” of competition for all sports will be moved to next year.
The NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council and the NJCAA Board of Regents believes the decision “provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place,” said NJCAA President and CEO Dr. Christopher Parker. “As we move forward as an association, we will continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches and all those involved with the NJCAA to be safe and successful.”
“The NJCAA feels like this will give us the best chance to get school started, to get the virus under control and not put athletes in a tough position,” said Kevin Dustin, SLCC director of Athletics and Recreation.
The impacted athletic programs represent five teams and three of the seven sports played at the NJCAA level at SLCC. It will make for a busy spring, Dustin noted, as all seven teams will compete roughly at the same time if, of course, the pandemic is under control by then.
Some two-year schools around the country have decided to completely drop sports programs at their schools because of the pandemic. “By postponing competition until next spring, it will save many community colleges from having to face the decision of whether to entirely cut a sport while also allowing schools to continue recruiting athletes,” said Dustin.
Dustin also said some SLCC teams will still practice in the fall and, if health guidelines allow and proper approvals are given, some scrimmaging with other schools could take place.
The full plan of action for NJCAA sports can be found by clicking here.
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