Chapman games cancelled over coronavirus

The spread of the coronavirus in the United States has created a shockwave of precautionary measures undertaken in the sports world, and it may be far from over. The National Hockey League and Major League Baseball have warned players against signing autographs from fans and in response to reports of leagues in Europe barring fans from attending basketball games, whisperings have circulated that the National Basketball Association could adopt the same empty-arena policy. Yet these fears of the COVID-19 virus, which has killed 19 in the United States as of March 8, don’t just apply to major sports leagues; they’ve trickled down to the collegiate level and, more specifically, Chapman.

During the week of March 2, out-of-state teams Ithaca College, Connecticut College and Case Western Reserve University – scheduled to play against baseball, women’s water polo, and women’s tennis – all cancelled their trips to Chapman due to concerns over the coronavirus.

According to Scott Laverty and Eric Ploessel, head coaches of Chapman baseball and women’s water polo, the main reason for the cancellation was the teams’ reluctance to fly through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A second screener at the airport recently tested positive for COVID-19.

“If (Case Western Reserve) actually would’ve gone into Ontario, Orange County, Long Beach, these smaller airports, the trip may have happened,” Ploessel told The Panther. “There’s actually been stuff that’s happened at LAX, so their (athletic director) has actually been cancelling a few things.”

Both coaches mentioned the situation was slightly disappointing, given their teams’ eagerness to play out-of-state opponents. While Ploessel and Laverty were staying diligent over what precautions to take, they both felt the current lack of cases in Orange County should put people at ease.

“Given the information that I have now, I would still choose to probably come and choose to educate our student-athletes,” Laverty said on placing himself in the shoes of an out-of-state team scheduled to play against Chapman.

That calm in the face of panic was a sentiment echoed by head athletic trainer Pam Gibbons. While she’s certainly preparing for an inflamed situation – she stressed the value of communication with other staff of teams in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - she ultimately didn’t distinguish much between a student-athlete and a general student potentially being infected with the virus.

“We’re just really reminding our student-athletes and our staff, if you’re sick, stay home. Personal hygiene is really important,” Gibbons said. “Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. And again, those are the same recommendations you’re getting from (the Center for Disease Control) and World Health.”