Many campus events have been canceled or moved to different spaces because of COVID-19 restrictions, but the River States Conference has given the go-ahead to all the conference teams to compete under reasonable health guidelines.
Competing might look the same this year but watching will be a much different experience.
“It’s important for spectators, players and coaches to keep social distance,” according to guidelines from the Mayo Clinic. “Wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and ensure you have enough social distance — at least 6 feet (2 meters) — between you and other spectators, whether you’re standing, sitting in chairs or sharing bleachers.”
These are the same guidelines encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Asbury’s spectator guidelines for fall outdoor sports, “spectators are expected to wear masks when unable to physically distance from those not in their family unit.” For indoor sports:
- There will be NO spectators allowed from visiting teams.
- Only spectators from the Asbury University campus community (students, faculty, staff and parents/guardians of participating AU student-athletes) will be allowed inside the gymnasium for Volleyball and Basketball games.
- All permissible spectators will be temperature screened upon entry to the Luce Center
- FOR SWIMMING ONLY – Due to space requirements to physically distance competitors, spectators will NOT be permitted In the natatorium during intercollegiate meets.
Even with the new guidelines, athletes are still happy to see fans at their games.
“We would love to have people on all the sidelines and have us being the center of attention,” said senior men’s soccer player Isaac Amaya. “That would be really cool, and it would be a good motivation for us. I really do think that the more people there the more desire we have to win games. If there’s like two people, it’s not as fun. Packed stands make you want to perform at your best.”
Asbury Eagle home games are coming up. On Sept. 22, the women’s volleyball team has its home opener against Alice Lloyd College at 7 pm. The volleyball team will play again at noon on Sept. 26, along with a men’s and women’s soccer doubleheader at 3:30 pm and 1 pm.