The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Temple athletic department to adapt to many new challenges.
Temple Athletics use their facilities every day for games, practices, and training as every team but football is playing this spring.
Liacouras holds Men’s basketball games and practices.
McGonigle Hall hosts women’s basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, as well as practices.
The Temple Sports Complex features men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, and track and field in between two different fields.
“Since all the sports got pushed to the winter slash spring, it’s thrown everyone for a loop because in the past where you have been able to spread out your duties and responsibilities and now it’s full blast” said Craig Angelos, Deputy Athletic Director
Outdoor sports, like lacrosse and soccer, are playing in wintery conditions, as the Associate Athletic Director of Facilities and Event Management, Lee Roberts said.
“One of the bigger challenges that we faced that we never faced before is having teams that are just summer or what we call summer/fall trying to play in the winter. That bitter cold snap changed the game a lot,”
Teams like volleyball and field hockey normally finish their season by December but with the push back of fall sports till spring, it’s even harder to get through the season.
“Normal times, most of the teams would only be practicing with only a few in competition in the spring, its made it very challenging because our windows are very very small to get everyone in,” said Roberts.
Angelos shows support of his team, the school, and the conferences for being able to adapt and adjust despite the challenges.
“I think it would be easy to say we are gonna shut it down and not do anything but I think it’s harder to plow through it and make adjustments as we go,” Angelos said.
The peak has passed with basketball in the post-season however, many other sports still have a long way to go in their season.
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