Clemson outlines when, how athletes can return to campus. Here’s the plan
The NCAA announced last week that Division I athletes in all sports can begin taking part in voluntarily workouts on June 1. Tuesday afternoon, Clemson revealed its plan.
Tigers football and men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes will begin voluntary workouts on June 8, the university announced. The athletics plan was released a week after Clemson University revealed its three-phase plan to open up campus.
Clemson student-athletes may return to the Clemson area June 1. They must undergo a period of “social and physical distancing” for seven days at home prior to returning to Clemson on that date. That seven-day window is already underway. Once back in the Clemson area, athletes must continue to distance themselves from others for another seven days leading up to the June 8 start of voluntary workouts.
After 14 days of social and physical distancing, both at home and at Clemson, student-athletes are eligible to begin pre-participation physicals with Clemson Sports Medicine. The physical includes a test for COVID-19, as well as an antibody test. Student-athletes must also complete a daily screening before entering facilities.
“We are encouraged to begin the first step in the implementation of our Phase I planning and appreciate the leadership of our university in helping us prepare for our student-athletes and staff to return in early June,” Clemson Athletics Director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “We are confident in our ability to provide a safe environment and have put our energy into that goal. We’re encouraged by the progress and remain vigilant as we begin to welcome a limited number of student-athletes back to our facilities.”
The return of football and men’s and women’s basketball athletes to campus is the start of Clemson athletics’ three-phase plan. The athletes back on campus will train under the following guidelines:
- Limited access to voluntary strength and conditioning and sports medicine activities.
- Workouts will consist of small groups no larger than 10 people — all six feet apart and wearing face coverings.
- Only one person will be allowed per rack during weight lifting.
- Cleaning and sanitizing will take place at the beginning and end of each day and between each use.
- The sports medicine staff will wear masks, gowns and gloves.
- Unorganized individual access to outdoor facilities may be permitted.
- Offices and locker rooms are “objective-based” only. Team lounges are closed.
- Head coaches and assistant coaches will continue to work remotely.
Clemson is currently slated to begin the college football season on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech.
Tigers coach Dabo Swinney is on record as saying he believes football will be played as schedule this fall in front of packed stadiums. However, Swinney has not addressed the topic since early April when he appeared on ESPN’s “First Take” show.
“I think God is bigger than this. I think He’s going to be glorified and shine through this in a mighty way. He has the ability to stamp this thing out as quick as it rose up. That’s just what I believe,” Swinney said. “If it doesn’t work out that way then you adjust. But my plan is to get back at it and hope for the best.”
Clemson athletes have been off campus since March when COVID-19 led to the school being closed. The Clemson football team made it through nine of its 15 scheduled spring practices before the university was shut down.
The first Clemson athletics event each fall typically takes place in late August. However, Clemson has not released schedules yet for 2020-2021 sports other than football due to the coronavirus.
Clemson University is slated to begin its three-phase plan for reopening on June 1, President Jim Clements announced last week. Plan 1 “features limited on-campus university operations for those faculty and staff members who cannot complete their work functions adequately while working remotely. We anticipate only a small percentage of employees returning during this phase,” Clements posted in a blog post to the Clemson family.
Clemson will spend at least 14 days in Phase I and track trends of coronavirus cases before moving to Phase 2. It “involves bringing back a moderate number of employees to their workplaces under strict safety guidelines and with an emphasis on social distancing regulation and guidance,” Clements said.
The final phase, Phase 3, “will result in a return to on-campus instruction and activities, and the return of nearly all employees to their workspaces. Detailed safety protocols will be put into place, and aggressively communicated,” Clements said.
This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 1:03 PM.
