Posted on Friday, September 25, 2020
Sports are back on LaGrange College’s campus, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Panther Athletic Department.
Vice President for Athletics and Athletic Director Jennifer Claybrook, Assistant Athletic Director Rob Dicks and Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Jeff Geeter have been working around the clock to provide a safe and meaningful experience for student-athletes.
“I am so proud of our commitment to a safe return to sports, allowing us to fulfill our mission and vision,” said Claybrook. “I am happy with the support, patience, creativity and flexibility that we all continue to provide, allowing us to thrive.”
Having a well-formulated plan is the first step toward success, but compliance is necessary for it to work. LaGrange student-athletes are prioritizing the well-being of not only themselves but others.
“After months of not being able to play with my team, I am excited to be back on the field,” said sophomore soccer student-athlete Breanna Gay. “Our spring season was cut short in March, which was disappointing. To stay safe, we are making sure masks are always on and that we are 6 feet apart, whether that is on the field or in the weight room.”
This semester is far from business as usual. The USA South has postponed the fall sports season to the spring 2021 semester, and the winter season has been delayed to mid-January. Despite this, coaches have shown great flexibility. For example, Men’s Lacrosse Head Coach Brandon Sewell has staggered practice times, bringing his student-athletes together in smaller groups.
Other methods through the department have included social distancing, mandatory masks and avoiding close contact and large groups. Geeter patrols the weight room, making sure all the rules are being followed, as well as sanitizing all the equipment. Coaches and directors remain in constant contact about procedures and review feedback on practice ideas.
Claybrook was quick to highlight the work done by Dicks and Geeter, saying she is beyond grateful to have them and their expertise by her side.
“Rob Dicks has served on one of the college’s COVID-19 committees, was selected to attend our weekly USA South Athletic Conference virtual meetings as an adviser and has served on our athletic-leadership team,” said Claybrook. “He is always there for students, faculty and staff.
“We have depended on Jeff Geeter’s commitment to excellence and work ethic. He has been instrumental in implementing plans and protocols to mitigate risks for our facilities and our teams from a strength-and-conditioning perspective.”
Dicks said he has confidence in the established protocols.
“I continue to encourage our athletic staff and student-athletes to progress intently and within the constraints of our plan,” he said. “I repeatedly tell our teams to control what we can control.
"I believe in our plan and that we will be better for having gone through it all when we reach the other side. At some point, we will be back to what feels like ‘normal’ athletic participation.”
For continuing coverage of Panther athletics, stay up to date with our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Congrats to our Sports Management program for winning third place for its NBA2K Esports Tournament for COVID Relief in a national competition for excellence in PR & Marketing. The students were up against Big 10 Network and Mediacom in our category, and we were the only college in the nation honored.
The Counseling Center will host a virtual anxiety group at 2 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Wednesday. Contact Brandi Cameron at bncameron@kongtiao11.com.
The Writing Center is open, with virtual consultations conducted through Microsoft Teams. For more information about scheduling an appointment, watch this video. or contact Dr. Justin Thurman at jthurman@kongtiao11.com.
The LC Chapel is open every day for individual prayer. Although the Spiritual Life Center is currently closed and will not be able to host student groups this semester, the patio space outside the SLC is open to groups of no more than six. Social distancing and masks are required.
Check LC Connect for Virtual CE events and instructions. For in-person events, all COVID guidelines apply.
Through Sunday
In person: These classic Greek plays will be performed successively at 7:30 a.m. on the lawn at Sunny Gables and at Hills and Dales. There are only 20 spaces available for each production, and reservations may be made by contacting priceboxoffice@kongtiao11.com. Guests are asked to provide their own camp chairs/folding chairs. THE TWO PRODUCTIONS ARE FOR LC FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS ONLY.
Virtual: Hear what Emily Arnold, a fifth-grade teacher at Holley Navarre Intermediate School in Florida, has to say about her time as an undergrad, how the experience at LC prepared her for her career path, and what advice and insight she has for current undergraduates.
Through Oct. 4
Virtual: Overwhelmed by what to include in a cover letter? Take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to write a cover letter to help you stand out as a candidate.
Virtual: Learn how to craft an effective resume that can help lead to a successful job or graduate school application.
Virtual: Learn from a current Mercer law student as she discusses her time as an undergrad, how her experience at LC prepared her for her career path, and what advice and insight she has for current undergraduates.
Monday
Virtual: Aneysha Bhat is a bioengineering student and co-innovator of TenseSense. She and her team of four bioengineers are developing a way to raise awareness about mental health and advance personalized medicine. In this dynamic talk, Bhat explores the prevalence of anxiety and how we can stand together to fight the stigma associated with mental health.
Football
Former quarterback Connor Blair (2014-17) was the Offensive Player for the week of Sept. 21 named by USA South Decade Athletes of the Week in football. Blair threw a then-school record six touchdown passes and set another school record of 520 yards passing in a 54-17 win over Ave Maria on Sept. 19, 2016. Blair would go on to graduate holding numerous school passing records.
2 – Karen Aubrey
3 – Mitch Turner
5 – Melissa Reeves
12 – Nick Raszeja
13 – Jan Webb
16 – Martha Pirkle
Dixie Powers
20 – Sonya Hill
23 – Carlie Hinson
Brooke Kinney
24 – Nikkovia Sweet
25 – Christopher Blocker
27 – Christy Vanhoose
28 – Gretta Milam
31 – Timothy Fitz-Gerald
With plenty of precautions and plenty to see, LaGrange College is once again scheduling new family tours of its beautiful campus. If you are looking for an affordable, highly-rated college, reserve your place at kongtiao11.com/visit.
Season pushed back – LaGrange Daily News, Sept. 5-6, 2020
Category: Students, College
Keywords: Athletics, COVID
