Athletic facilities reopen to all athletes and students
For the second time this academic year, students will be able to exercise at Chapman’s various athletic facilities after they opened Feb. 15. Panther Archives
Whether it be running a few laps around the Wilson Field track or working on a swimming stroke at the Zee Allred Aquatics Center, Chapman students are now able to hone their athletic craft — or just take a break from pandemic life to exercise — at the recently opened outdoor athletic facilities on campus.
Chapman began phase one of the NCAA resocialization program Feb. 15, a phased approach to allow athletes to return to athletic competition that begins with practices in small groups. That step allows for the university to reopen its athletic facilities to the wider student body and athletes for practices. However, according to Sports Information Director Steven Olveda, “practice” is a “loose term.”
“They’re in pods of 10 right now conditioning, and that’s pretty much it,” Olveda said of athletes. “(The athletes) can’t use equipment yet, but (they’re) with (their) team and all there together.”
Sophia Kelsey, a junior on the swimming team, welcomes the return as a way to get back into competition shape, something that was hard to achieve for her during the pandemic.
“Swimmers have a unique challenge because it’s difficult to find a facility that’s open for a pool right now,” Kelsey said. “I did a lot of stuff outside of the pool, but getting in shape is tough.”
Even though athletics have been given a tentative green light to return, the activities that they can do in the pool or on the field differ from previous seasons.
“It’s kind of like night and day. We can’t use any sticks, gloves or pads or anything — it’s pretty limited,” said Maks Bialek, a senior goalkeeper for Chapman’s men’s lacrosse team. “We can’t do any full team practices. We can’t do any offensive or defensive stuff.”
As of now, athletes are only in the first phase of the NCAA’s resocialization program. But if COVID-19 case rates decline, athletes are hopeful they will be able to return to full practices with their teams at Wilson Field, the Harold Hutton Sports Center or the Zee Allred Aquatics Center.
“I feel like everyone on my team is eager to be back and wants to keep the facilities open,” Kelsey said. “Everybody’s in the same boat … They’re being responsible.”
The reopening of such facilities hasn’t just been a sight for sore eyes for athletes. Many Chapman students, like Bradley Parsons, a sophomore business administration and French double major, have been enjoying the return to campus to burn some calories.
“Exercise is a way to clear my head and relax,” Parsons said. “Swimming is a huge part of my life, so not being able to do that over the pandemic was unfortunate. I’m happy that the pool was able to open.”
With COVID-19 rates apt to change at any time, athletes and students still are unsure of what the future may hold. For now, however, the ability to simply be on the field or in the pool provides them with a sense of hope, and the belief that one day, things may be able to return to a pre-pandemic life.
“It gives hope to the athletes,” Bialek said of the reopening of athletic facilities. “It shows that the school wants athletics back and is taking the necessary steps for us to compete again. It gives us hope that the school is trying their best to give us a chance to play.”