Covid-19 has caused all of the sports programs at Averett University to be pushed back until the spring semester 2021. This means that this fall semester of 2020 is being used by teams to get stronger and to get treatment for injuries, so that athletes can be the best version of themselves for the upcoming season. What are athletic trainers and strength coaches doing during this off season to help athletes get ready for a busy spring semester? 

There are a handful of athletic trainers at Averett University, with Thomas Underwood as the head trainer. Samuel Roome is the only strength coach at Averett University. Because of Covid-19, the number one goal of trainers and strength coaches is the safety of the athletes. What are the new regulations put in place in the training room and weight room? In the weight room, it’s been a pretty simple adjustment. The only change is that a mask must be worn and there is a limit on how many people are in the weight room at a time. These two new regulations also apply for the training room as well along with more changes such as, a second training room has been created to help spread out athletes. Athletes’ temperature must be checked before entering the training rooms. Treatment tables in the training room have been spaced out six feet apart and they are cleaned after each use. 

The extended fall offseason and the new regulations are really the only changes. The strength coach and trainers try to keep the same routine as last year. Samuel Roome says, “I have tried to keep the same “rhythm” as years past because it’s what the athletes are used to. Our main focus was to keep things as “normal” as possible.” Because every team is in an offseason right now, the weight room and training room schedule is a little hectic. To see a trainer, an appointment must be booked and in the weight room, each team has a shorter amount of time.

“The only difference is time. Most teams only get 45 minutes because we are so booked, but as far as workouts nothing has changed. The intensity has to be a little higher because we don’t get as much time but overall it’s the same,” said Samuel Roome.