Covid Bright Spots? Playing the Games

Missouri Valley Coaches Grateful to Play

(St. Louis, MO) – Covid College Basketball Season 2021 has not been easy, but Missouri Valley Conference coaches are glad to be playing games. Experts and pundits argued about safety precautions and the viability of a season. Critics called the basketball season a ‘money grab’. But Valley coaches are grateful to play.

For every coronavirus shutdown or postponement, playing the games has meant these college students had something to look forward to or to pursue. While hundreds of thousands of American young adults have spent this year of their college experience, locked in a dorm, taking classes by Zoom and simply surviving, MVC players and coaches have been able to work on their game, grow closer to one another and have something normal and cherished to hold on to.

While on court success or failure is found in the standings and statistics, Valley coaches believe just playing the games has been a victory.

Playing the Games – Mental Health

Illinois State coach Dan Muller has been a vocal advocate of playing the games and allowing the players to have as normal a school year as possible. The ninth year head coach has seen growth in his young players and believes they have grown as men.

However, Muller is simply grateful that college basketball is going on. He believes the emotional and mental health of the student-athletes is helped by playing the games.

 

 

Missouri State coach Dana Ford’s team has experienced some great on-court success. The Bears (15-5, 11-5) have won six straight games and are confident on their way to the season’s end. While Ford acknowledges his team’s basketball success, he is grateful that his players get to do what they love. The former Dan Muller assistant coach says Ja’Monta Black, Isiaih Mosely and Gaige Prim have grown immensely.

Former Southern Illinois star and current Saluki coach Bryan Mullins says there are many bright spots. SIU has been without star player Marcus Domask since their tenth game and highly touted junior college transfer J.D. Muila for the entire season, but Mullins says there have been valuable life AND basketball lessons learned.

 

 

Building for The Future

Team development and growing as teammates is vital to building a basketball program. Covid has robbed collegiate teams of many of the ‘little things’ that help coaches and players thrive. Bradley coach Brian Wardle’s young players are growing into leaders for next season’s team. While Valley teams have been playing the games, there have been limitations to practice and preseason activities that have been a hurdle to overcome.

 

 

Indiana State’s Greg Lansing says watching his freshmen grow and work on their games are the things coaches love to see whether a pandemic exists or not.

 

 

Final Weekend

Valley teams will be playing the games this weekend to finish the regular season and then travel to St. Louis for Arch Madness. There is a fierce battle for first place and national recognition between Loyola and Drake. Five teams are feverishly working to avoid playing during the conference tournament’s opening night. They are separated by one game in standings.

Post season awards, all-conference teams, moving up in program statistical categories are all part of what is going on. All ten teams are itching to win the Arch Madness trophy and play in the NCAA Tournament, but for these ten coaches, the chance to be playing the games, has made this season uniquely special.

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