(Courtesy of Mike Mooney).
Last March, the COVID-19 pandemic brought spring sports to a screeching halt. However, most people didn't expect the pandemic to postpone fall sports too.
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation and tennis coach Michael Mooney was at a men's lacrosse game when he got the message the NCAA Tournament was canceled.
“I waited until after the game to pass the news to the team so they could finish the last game of their season,” Mooney said.
The NCAA Tournament was canceled on Thursday March 12th. The Ice Knights were gearing up to host the NCAA Quarterfinals on Saturday March 21st. Men’s and women's swimming and diving were two days away from leaving for their NCAA tournament in North Carolina on March 18th. Men’s and women’s track and field were in the NCAA tournament arena when authorities ended the event. What once looked like promising seasons for several Geneseo teams quickly crumbled right before their eyes as COVID-19 swept through the nation.
This left a bad taste in the athletes' mouths. Their heartbreaking seasons were left unfinished, and some never even got started. Many students could do nothing but watch as their final seasons at Geneseo were ripped away from them because of something they had no control over.
Fall sports are currently practicing but all competition has been postponed until the spring in order to ensure the safety of Geneseo student-athletes. While this is surely bitter for some of the athletes, it has provided a new perspective on how sports teams can better prepare for future seasons.
Mooney is using this time to learn more about his athletes and how they respond to pressure situations on the court. With matches postponed, he can focus on what makes his athletes better tennis players and better people.
“Tennis is a thinking game ... you want to be able to read your opponent. I’m trying to teach my players to play to win instead of playing not to lose,” Mooney said.
Mooney explained when athletes play to win, they play confidently, aggressively and proactively. When athletes play not to lose, they lose their confidence, play recklessly and are one step behind the opponent.
Mooney believes we should have a play-to-win attitude against COVID-19. He tells his tennis players to wear a mask, social distance and be smart. He wants to make sure his players do their part in preventing the spread of the virus.
Mooney is doing everything he can to get ahead of the spread. Every week, he and head athletic trainer Angelo Zegarelli organize surveillance testing for athletes. Each week, 50 athletes are randomly selected to get tested for the coronavirus.
Additionally, Mooney has given his approval for expanding the athletic training room. Now that social distancing is a priority, the cardio room has been turned into the main athletic training room. The athletic training staff has been asking for a larger training room for the past five years, but it wasn't in the school’s budget.
Fall sports have been gathering for practice for four weeks with no new cases. The battle between Geneseo athletics and COVID-19 has felt like a long one for most. But it's not over yet.
The past seven months have shown the more comfortable we get, the stronger the virus gets. Until there is a vaccine, our opponent isn't SUNY Oswego or Cortland, it's COVID-19.