Courtesy of North Carolina A&T State Athletic Communications
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2020-21 women's basketball season was going to be a challenge for North Carolina A&T State head coach Tarrell Robinson before a pandemic invaded the world.
Robinson's Aggies lost to rival North Carolina Central 56-54 in the quarterfinals of the MEAC Basketball Tournament, and that team featured experienced seniors. Unknown to anyone at Norfolk Scope Arena at the time that March 12 would be the final day of college basketball for the 2019-20 season.
COVID-19 hit around the country that shut down sports and the gymnasiums worldwide. The loss led Robinson and his staff back to the drawing board to rekindle Aggies women's basketball's championship ways. Meanwhile, from a student-athlete perspective, the loss was difficult enough without the complication of the virus forcing gyms closed making it hard to maintain good conditioning.
When Robinson was able to get the student-athletes on campus for the first time during the summer, he had to take it slow with them.
"They were off for so long when the nation was quarantining, obviously they didn't have access to a gym or the facilities," Robinson said. "We asked them to get some cardio outside. But when we got back here, we took small steps. We didn't jump right into anything. We kind of built toward the conditioning and the physical and mental part. Now we're full go."
Without COVID, Robinson's preseason would still be difficult, as he welcomed 10 newcomers -- including eight freshmen. Only four student-athletes return that played at least 15 games as guard Deja Winters and forward Jayla Jones-Pack return for their senior seasons.
Junior guards Jasmen Walton and Kennedy Boyd each return for another season. The first official practice for the 2020-21 season starts 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Robinson brought in his new team in the summer and worked the team out in small groups following social distancing guidelines with no more than 10 people in the gym at a time.
"We brought them in and just like anybody in the country were able to bring their players in and start the process with a limited number of people on campus as far as procedures and guidelines," Robinson said. "Each player has their own basketball and we check the temperatures when they come in. We had a great five weeks of summer and then we transition to the school year."
Then school started a little different this year with some classes online as well as in person. Even the practices are different this season.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper moved the state to Phase Two, so the Aggies were able to work out as a team. Yet, Robinson and his staff still required face masks and temperature checks. The players are also tested frequently, and the team disinfects frequently.
About a month ago, the NCAA decided to push the start of college basketball almost two weeks later to Nov. 25, a day before Thanksgiving. The later start date helps Robinson to connect with his young team in preparing for the season.
"Thank goodness the start of the season got pushed back because the five weeks of the summer was more trying to get back to a physical and mental state of getting ready to perform at this level. Now we're really doing a lot of teaching with nine new players," Robinson said. "All of them are coming from different systems, different coaching styles and the extra week or so that we have, we are going to need in order to get them ready.
It's different. It's challenging. I like challenges, and we are going to do everything that we can to be prepared on Nov. 25."
A disadvantage of the season starting later is that Robinson and the Aggies can't schedule any outside scrimmages to help prepare for the season, something Robinson wishes he had with all of the newcomers.
The Aggies are scheduled to start the season in Cincinnati, Ohio against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
"I wish that we had a lot of scrimmages, but all-in-all, they're a talented group and this is an uncharacteristic year," Robinson said. "There's going to be a process for everybody in the country, not just us."