BY: URSULA ROSCIGNO
TThe simultaneously turbulent yet stagnant nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused problems in almost every operating industry of the modern world. One major sector that has been impacted is athletics; specifically, the transition period from high school tocollegiate athletics. What does this mean for the hardworking neograduate athletes that have been grinding to kick start their career? We talked to two superstar coaches to get their take on this year’s so-called “lost season”.
Coach Doshia Woods is currently in her 20th year teaching at a collegiate level and has loved every minute of it. Her initial inspiration to play basketball was to impact lives in the same way hers was. True to itself 20 years later, Coach Woods has a multitude of playing and coaching gigs at namely schools under her belt. This includes, but is not limited to, her work at the University of Missouri, Tulane University, and her current position at the University of Denver.
Coach Charity Elliot has loved basketball since could remember. Coaching alongside her husband for the past 18 years, she cultivates a fantastic environment as shown by her success coaching in many places at many levels. She has coached at places such as the University of Arkansas, UC San Diego where her team was ranked #1 in the country, the South Adelaide Basketball Club in Australia, and her current position at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles
Both coaches absolutely love recruitment season firstly and fore mostly because of the personal aspect of it. Coach Woods mentions how relationships built during this process are so important in order to get to know players that will eventually become part of this team culture that they build.
Their time at the university will therefore grow them as both a player and a person. Similarly, Coach Elliot stresses the importance of the relationships formed during the recruitment process, as she recognizes how this connection continues even if the player does not end up playing for the university. Both coaches search primarily for toughness, competitiveness, grit, and an overall love for the game.
Coaches Woods and Elliot both recognize the struggle of high school seniors looking to get recruited during these unprecedented times. Coach Elliot mentions specifically that the lost opportunities to watch these seniors play is a shame as well as the lack of available scholarships that come with the “super seniors” that decide to stay for a 5th year. Coach Woods additionally mentions the stress that comes from these seniors “not knowing what their future means” as well as the difficulty of playing alongside and against the super seniors that are a lot older and have a lot more experience.
However despite the setbacks this unusual circumstance has caused this season, both coaches choose to look at the situation as anything but that. Coach Woods reasons that there is no answer for anything that is happening, and the only correct reaction is to adapt to whatever is put in front of them. Her motto is to control the controllables, and if you can’t control something then you can’t worry about it. Coach Elliot has also taken a headstrong approach by choosing to not even look at this season as a lost one as it still gives the players opportunities to be flexible, make memories, and build resilience and toughness. She chooses to look at this as a “free year” that players should embrace the hardness of and make the best of. Her motto is that one can either be bitter or better, and she constantly inspires her team to choose to be better.
To all the student athletes out there: we hope that this spotlight has somewhat helped to ease your mind about this atypical season that may not have been everything you’ve been dreaming about. We hope you know that you are not alone, and that everyone behind the scenes is working double time to ensure you have a fantastic athletic experience despite the world’s current major setback. Coach Elliot leaves you with the advice to do your legwork, be proactive, and do your research in order to be ready for when this all ends. Coach Woods’ advice is to practice and be patient, and to readjust your dreams instead of giving up on them.