CSU Athletics Sees 97 percent of Student-Athletes Opt In for Fall

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State changed the narrative.

Instead of student-athletes on campus having to declare if they wanted to opt-out of athletic activities due to the coronavirus pandemic, the athletic department reversed course. On Aug. 28 – in the mind of the athletic department – Colorado State had no student-athletes. Of the 374 who were on rosters until that day, each was given 72 hours – until 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31 -- to opt in to continue participating with their teams.

There were a few student-athletes who had not responded by the deadline, so individual calls were made to them to make sure they had seen the communication and to make a declaration.

In the end, 97 percent of all student-athletes (363 total) chose to opt in for fall workouts.

Director of Athletics Joe Parker and his staff arrived at this route after hosting a pair of town-hall meetings with student-athletes, working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and conducting meetings with each sport's roster.

Parker sensed some unease in those situations, noting questions being asked, and he felt this would help alleviate some tensions student-athletes may be experiencing.

"In each one of those meetings, it became clear there was still personal apprehension. It was hard to define how much of that there was," Parker said. "It was clear, too, that with simply the opt-out option, we hadn't really had anyone raise their hand that they were going to do that.

"It felt good to affirm the choice that students were willing to make, that 97 percent of our student-athletes decided they wanted to have an experience in the fall, to practice as teams and improve and enhance their athletic experience with all the expectation we're going to get our spring competitions in."

Parker stressed student-athletes who did not opt in will still remain on scholarship, but because of their decision to opt out, they will not be able to participate in team activities, including workouts, practices or use team facilities. They are still allowed to take part in all the academic programs provided to them.

In addition, should a student-athlete have concerns moving forward, they will retain the option to opt out at any time. Parker said the athletic department made clear this was for the fall semester only. When the January semester begins, student-athletes will be given the choice to reverse their decisions, possibly as early as the fall break (around Thanksgiving).

"I wanted clarity, and I think this gets us closer to that," Parker said. "It may have prompted some decisions that student-athletes were really reluctant to make."

Which is why Gabi McDonald liked the approach the athletic department took. She also had the feeling there were some athletes uncomfortable in having to make a decision to opt out. Though she said no athlete on campus would have questioned anyone's loyalty, she did think there was the perception of a stigma attached to opting out.

In this process, she felt all of that was removed and gave student-athletes the proper amount of time to make a personal, informed decision.

Isaiah Stevens

"I think it was good to have it be the option to opt in, because it was kind of recommitting to everything the season would bring, even with all the COVID stuff," said the All-Mountain West soccer goalie who is also a member of the Rams' track and field program. "It's a whole other level of commitment now. For example, our weight room times are much later than they were in the past. They are a lot different with different groups, because you can only have so many people in the weight room at once. And there's all the protocols you have to go through with social distancing, wearing masks, cleaning your gear, or the fact we have to check in between 6-10 a.m., to get our temperature and symptoms checked even if you don't come to practice until much later.

"This was more the option to opt in. Instead of making people feel outed, it was everyone was out and then you re-chose to join the team."

Parker said the discussions for student-athlete safety concerns started in earnest in the early summer. It wasn't until the meetings with teams and student-athletes took place the idea of changing the path was developed.

In the end, Parker thinks it was the right decision to help put the student-athletes more at ease.

"I think we arrived at it just through listening to our student-athletes and kind of understanding where they were at," he said. "What we've learned, certainly in the last 30 days, is we need to over-communicate and really keep an open and engaged dialog with our student-athletes. As we learn more, which we are daily about how we can modify and enhance our mitigation of COVID, we just have to be prepared to communicate those things, and when possible, introduce those steps and measures into our current protocols."

For basketball player Isaiah Stevens, the plan in place helped make his decision easier. The sophomore point guard admits he has concerns with the virus, but with the testing and sanitation protocols, he feels his chances are being mitigated, making him more confident about opting in.

He notices it in the changes. The fact he has to check in early in the morning can be an annoyance sometimes, but knowing he has to get the wrist band which clears him for the day just tells him he has to be organized and efficient with his time. The strength and conditioning staff won't let them share equipment, and there may be slight delays while weights are cleaned, but he understands.

"I liked that they gave the option for some people who didn't feel comfortable at the time," Stevens said. "For me it wasn't a debate. Opting in was always at the forefront of my mind, continuing to push forward with some of the things that we're trying to get accomplished, while also taking the necessary precautions and protocols to still stay healthy and safe.

"With all that in place, I felt it helped guys understand they're not brushing this off to the side and they're making an effort to keep us safe."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results