Zack Saunders
As part of the Weatherford People edition, the Weatherford Daily News will interview coaches at SWOSU for a series of stories.
This story features SWOSU baseball coach Zack Saunders. He answered some questions about how COVID-19 impacted him and his team this past spring.
What has been the best thing about COVID-19 related to sports? Worst?
I think the best thing that this time of uncertainty and quarantine has been the ability to gain some perspective. To slow down and to see how important family, friends and the relationships with the people on our staff and team are. The worst thing has been watching seniors not get to have closure to something that they have worked for their entire career. It just ended, no certainty of when we get to play again or even see our team again.
How has COVID-19 impacted your daily routine?
I think it has come in waves. At first my routine really struggled, I didn’t know what to do with the time and wasn’t very productive. As the weeks go by it has been much easier to find that rhythm. I have been amazed at the amount of work I can get done from a remote site and still be productive. So it has shown how I can get things done while also getting to have some quality time with my family.
What impacts has COVID-19 had on recruiting? The players? Etc.?
This virus has really altered how I think a lot of people recruit across the country. It has forced coaches to rely on coaches they trust and video since we cannot go out and be in person and see the players that we are recruiting for next year. Having a couple of guys come back has surprisingly helped us in recruiting, we have been able to add some depth to our roster we have not had in the past because of some of the guys deciding to use the waiver and come back and play their senior season again. I think this time has been hardest on the players though. With a lot of summer leagues cancelling and most things being closed for them to be able to train, they have had to get creative about how to work out and how to try and find an edge that can help them when we do get to return.
What else can you tell me that I haven’t asked?
I think the isolation is what we as coaches worry about more than anything. 18-22-year-olds I think are in a tough spot because of not being able to be around people on a social/ emotional support level and I think some will struggle to deal with it. Mental health is something we have discussed a lot as a department and staff.
Taking the steps to reach out and be in constant communication with our team we feel is paramount. We want our players to understand we are here and willing to help anyway we can as we are all dealing with the unusual circumstances.
Lastly I think that it is important to realize how the high school seniors I think have had the raw end of all of this. They have had their senior year stripped away with no (redshirt) to go back and do it over again. They are now headed to colleges that will have a larger number of players than usual and will put them into a kind of log jam as they try and find their place on the team that they are playing for.