By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Several two-sport student-athletes at Willamette University are practicing with both teams this fall during an unusual semester impacted by COVID-19. The Bearcats are not competing against outside competition in any sport this fall, so all sports are focusing on practices. Teams from the fall, winter, and spring are all practicing during the semester. Practices are limited by protocols related to COVID-19, so contact and group sizes are limited. Student-athletes practice in pods -- typically three to six people -- and generally remain in their pods at each practice.
Although student-athletes are allowed to practice with two teams, they must still follow the NCAA requirement of one full day without practice each week.
Practicing with two sports teams requires more time, but it also has its benefits as student-athletes improve multiple fundamental skills while being involved with drills and routines that vary by sport.
Student-athletes practicing in two sports this fall include Albert Ramon Jr. (Jr., Hesperia, CA/Northview HS), Sami Riggs (So., La Verne, CA/Bonita HS), Jasmine Shigeno (Fy., Hockinson, WA/Hockinson HS), Keaton Adams (Jr., Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS), and Eric Kaszycki (So., Santee, CA/Santana HS). Ramon and Kasycki are members of the football and men's track and field teams. Riggs participates in women's basketball and women's track and field, while Shigeno plays women's basketball and women's soccer. Adams is on the men's swimming team and the football team.
"I have been practicing with both sports teams this fall," Ramon confirmed. "For football, we have been doing morning lifts and practice/meetings in the evenings for three days a week. For track, we have been doing conditioning and strength training in the evenings on two days a week." Ramon is a defensive back in football and a sprinter and a long jumper in track and field.
"I have been practicing for both teams so far this semester," Adams said. "On Monday, Wednesday, Friday I go to swimming practice and on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday I go to football practice." Adams is a defensive end on the football team and competes in sprints for the swimming team.
Like Adams, Kaszycki is a defensive end in football. In addition, Kaszycki is a thrower on the track and field team. He recently started track and field practice once a week, focusing on skill development for the hammer throw.
"I have been meeting with football to practice four days a week since the middle of August. Three of those days also include an hour of lifting," Kaszycki explained.
Riggs is a basketball guard and competes in the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash in track and field. After practicing three days a week with the track and field team in September, she is currently practicing with both sports.
"Now that basketball practice started on October 2nd, I will only be meeting with track on Mondays. I practice with basketball four days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday," Riggs explained. "Our track workouts have been focused on proper technique and running form because it has been quite some time since our last formal practice. In basketball, we have been focusing on proper fundamentals along with getting as many shots up in the gym as we can. We are also quite a young team so we are focusing on creating connections with each other on the court the best way we can during drills because we can not play live."
This fall, Ramon has seen COVID-19 significantly impact practices in both of his sports.
"COVID-19 has changed our football routine tremendously. Before our practices, we would usually have pre-practice meetings at the stadium, but now due to COVID we are doing these meetings via Zoom," Ramon said. "As far as our practice it is also a little bit different. We must stay at social distance at all times, and trying to do this while playing football is a challenge, but we are making it work. Practicing with masks has also been a challenge for many of us. As long as we are doing what we love to do, play football, any 'limitations' due to COVID haven't really been a factor."
Ramon added that "COVID-19 has changed our track and field routine tremendously. Our practice has been split into pods, and we are working out with these specific people. We also must maintain social distance at all times. Wearing a mask while running has also been a challenge for many of us, but we are not letting it stop us from doing what we love."
Also noticing significant changes, Kaszycki indicated that "COVID-19 has made any kind of meeting I have had with either of my teams difficult. In football, although we have been permitted to do different drills again, there is still the aspect of us not being able to have our true full practices due to social distancing. There are some drills we cannot even modify so we are unable to do them. We have managed to make the practices fun and useful again although I am still waiting for the day we can get back to hitting on the defensive line.
"For throwing in track it is not as difficult because we each have our own specific implements that we do not share," Kaszycki said. "The biggest change is that we have to make sure we are social distancing while we are in between drills. For both sports wearing a mask has made exercising feel harder."
Shigeno also has been practicing with both of her teams this fall. She is a forward who can also play in the midfield for the soccer team. She is a guard in basketball.
"In soccer, we've been having formal training and lifts, and in basketball, we just started formal practices last week, but prior to that I was also participating in open gyms," Shigeno said. "COVID has made it so sports are non-contact, so we've had to focus a lot on fundamentals and basics in both sports," Shigeno noted. "We've learned to adapt our practices to adhere to social distancing and other regulations. I think the most difficult thing is not being able to replicate 'game-like' situations due to the fact we can't do contact, but both teams are using this time to work on other important aspects of our games."
Riggs added some thoughts about the impact of COVID-19 on team practices.
"In basketball, it is a much more difficult to social distance because it is greatly team-oriented," Riggs said. "In order to distance ourselves we are only allowed to have three people at a basket at a time. Along with social distance we have to sanitize everything including the balls we use, our shoes and other equipment. We are doing this to protect ourselves as much as we can with the hopes of being able to play. Masks have to be worn at all times and at first it was a tough adjustment for me, but with more and more practices I have gotten used to it."
The student-athletes were happy to be practicing and more than willing to follow the COVID-19 protocols.
"I am grateful and blessed that we are able to do sports during this time and we are willing to do whatever we need to do to keep other athletes safe and the whole Willamette community safe," Ramon noted.
"Wearing a mask and helmet at the same time was difficult at first but I think everyone has gotten used to it now," Adams said. "Change is always difficult at first, but we have adapted pretty well to the COVID-19 limitations."
According to Adams and Ramon, practicing in two sports during the same semester has been a demanding, but good experience.
"Playing both sports at the same time has been somewhat difficult and time-consuming so far. In a traditional athletic year, I would only be competing in football right now," Adams said. "However, with the season being postponed, I am now able to do both sports. Doing both sports at the same time is a huge challenge, but I see it as preparation for having good time management skills later in life."
"Working with both sports this fall has been great in my development as a student-athlete," Ramon said. "It has allowed me to better myself in areas that I wouldn't have been able to just by working with one sport at a time. Being able to do football and track at the same time is really helping me become a better football player and track runner I believe."
Shigeno said that she enjoys staying busy as she practices with the soccer and basketball teams.
"Both of my coaches have been great at communicating their expectations for me, and I feel very well supported by them," Shigeno said. "Each sport practices less and we aren't having games, so it's been manageable."
Kaszycki also mentioned that he has been happy with the chance to practice two sports during the same semester.
"It is interesting being involved in two sports this fall. Last fall, when it was a traditional athletic year, I was only doing football and was not able to do any off-season training for track and field due to the amount of time football would take up. I am enjoying being involved with both sports very much. I like being able to connect more with my track teammates."
Riggs indicated that she appreciates the opportunity to practice basketball and track and field.
