by
Public Relations and Marketing | Published Jul 20, 2020
College of Lake County (CLC) is committed to the safety of its student athletes, coaches and staff when planning how to safely return to athletic competition in the fall of 2020. At this time, student athletes will return for non-contact and low risk competitive sports in August. In accordance with National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region IV’s phased return of athletics, Lancers will safely compete in men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf and women’s tennis.
“Providing a safe environment for our student athletes is our highest priority,” said athletics director Bradley Unger. “For most of our students and coaches, COVID-19 has presented the largest challenge in their careers. We want to do everything we can to provide a safe pathway for all athletic programs to return and have competitive seasons this academic year.”
Per the NJCAA’s announcement on July 13, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball will move to the spring semester. The college will re-evaluate the local and regional landscape in late fall to determine if options exist for fall sports programs to safely resume competition in the spring with traditional spring sports programs.
The plan will permit all athletes to begin practice and training sessions in accordance with NJCAA guidelines on campus this fall. The Physical Education building will be open to student athletes only starting August 24. Enhanced safety protocols will be in place for screening, testing, sanitizing for practice and competition of low-risk sports, athletic facilities and transportation vehicles.
“I am excited our student athletes will get to play safely this fall,” said Jim Love, head tennis coach. “The members of the tennis team are looking forward to playing. It will require several changes from a normal season, but we are all ready to do what we need to keep everyone safe.”
As always, this decision is pending the current health climate and remains flexible. Consideration for spring sports will be determined at a later date based on the forthcoming guidelines from the governor, Illinois Department of Health, Lake County Health Department and Illinois Community College Board.
About College of Lake County:
The College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. The College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.