How'd they do it?
Being one of the only ACC schools to not have a game canceled in the 2020-2021 football season, Duke’s student athletes take great pride in following the strict mitigation protocols put in place in order to have a case free season.
During this who academic year, daily Covid testing has allowed for us to get results on all players and staff more quickly as well as having the opportunity to limit the number of people contact traced if someone were to catch the virus. Although daily testing is a privilege that the university has granted its student athletes, it is upon the shoulders of these athletes to take ownership of the mitigation rules and other strict protocols that were put into place.
Taking Covid protocols seriously is something that had to happen in order for the athletes of the program to have some form of normalcy and to be able to continue doing what they love to do during this time of uncertainty
First hand experience
“ When we first got back from the long pandemic break and how they handled the weight rooms and how we trained. We trained with masks on as well as moving equipment from the weight room to our agility room. So staying separated with small groups. Getting tested everyday keeps contact tracing noticeable and easy to manage. “
“before, we were able to meet in bigger groups. We could eat in meetings but that was taken away when covid hit. Also we used to eat team dinner but now it is grab and go, which can and has had an effect on the chemistry of the team. The program has implemented things that have kept things normal but was definitely a difficult transition.”
Daily testing
Every morning the football team has scheduled self-swab testing on the second floor of the football training facility. From the table where the student athletes pick up their test, to the testing table themselves, the goal is to get everyone tested in the scheduled time in order to get those test sent off as quickly as possible in order to get the test results back that same day.
Meetings
While in previous seasons, team meetings along with special teams meetings were held in our huge meeting room that could fit the entire team. Although the team as an entirety isn’t able to be together a lot, these team meetings have become one of the only times everyone can come together for a meeting and be socially distant at the same time,
With chairs to keep everyone socially distant, the indoor facility is able to hold the the football players and coaches in order to conduct important team meetings and special teams meetings. Everyone keeps their masks on at all times and the chairs are put up after each meeting so they can be cleaned.
Sounds and interviews
One of the few times the entire team is able to be together is during practice. As multiple screaming voices echo, and sounds of whistles blowing, this is the sound of the Duke Football team getting read for their pre-practice stretch, With coaches giving directing and players hustling around to find their places. As players and coaches get ready for practice their excitement to get better and intensity to be competitive is shown through this sound recording.
Although the program had to take a break from spring practice due to covid cases, picking up where they left off is something that the coaches take pride in. While meeting over discord (separated by position groups) the defense meets as a unit before practice in order to go over play calls in detail before going out to execute.
