Photo by: U.S. Air Force photo / Trevor Co
Men’s Soccer Season Suspended
9/22/2020 10:08:00 AM | Men's Soccer
The Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors voted today to suspend all fall championship and non-championship athletics competition through the end of the calendar year
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - In consideration of the global COVID-19 pandemic and challenges faced by its member institutions, the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors voted today to suspend all fall championship and non-championship athletics competition through the end of the calendar year.
"It obviously was a difficult decision, and not one made lightly," said WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd. "But it was one made after extensive discussion and consideration of all relevant factors as well as input from conference administrators and the Medical Advisory Committee. The health and safety of our student-athletes, the many others associated with our athletics programs and all those in our campus environments always will be the highest priority."
"The Board recognizes the disappointment felt by our student-athletes, coaches, and fans, but it believes the decision is in the best interest of all concerned," said Board Chair, Fr. Stephen Sundborg, S.J.
The fall conference championship sports affected are men's and women's cross country, volleyball and men's and women's soccer. Contingent on the NCAA fall championships being moved to the spring and if feasible, the WAC will conduct the respective sports during the same time frame.
"Not playing this fall was disappointing for the amount of work the players put in preparing for the upcoming season," Air Force's head soccer coach Doug Hill said. "We will use the solid foundation, built by the players, to catapult us into the spring season. If they were able to achieve a higher level of fitness baseline coming into the fall season then we will be even at a higher level in the spring."
"The benefit will be having the freshmen, and we have some good ones, getting use the pace and new atmosphere they are placed in here at the Academy," Hill continued. "They will only get stronger and play at a faster pace! I do like the way we are training and staying focused during our fall training sessions. I know they will be eager to play some outside competition!"
Conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities in all sports will be permitted per institutional discretion.
"It obviously was a difficult decision, and not one made lightly," said WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd. "But it was one made after extensive discussion and consideration of all relevant factors as well as input from conference administrators and the Medical Advisory Committee. The health and safety of our student-athletes, the many others associated with our athletics programs and all those in our campus environments always will be the highest priority."
"The Board recognizes the disappointment felt by our student-athletes, coaches, and fans, but it believes the decision is in the best interest of all concerned," said Board Chair, Fr. Stephen Sundborg, S.J.
The fall conference championship sports affected are men's and women's cross country, volleyball and men's and women's soccer. Contingent on the NCAA fall championships being moved to the spring and if feasible, the WAC will conduct the respective sports during the same time frame.
"Not playing this fall was disappointing for the amount of work the players put in preparing for the upcoming season," Air Force's head soccer coach Doug Hill said. "We will use the solid foundation, built by the players, to catapult us into the spring season. If they were able to achieve a higher level of fitness baseline coming into the fall season then we will be even at a higher level in the spring."
"The benefit will be having the freshmen, and we have some good ones, getting use the pace and new atmosphere they are placed in here at the Academy," Hill continued. "They will only get stronger and play at a faster pace! I do like the way we are training and staying focused during our fall training sessions. I know they will be eager to play some outside competition!"
Conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities in all sports will be permitted per institutional discretion.
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