Southwest Athletics announces plan for fall and spring sports

By Keith Gentry and Daphne J. Thomas

All Southwest Tennessee Community College fall and winter athletic competitions are moved to the spring semester in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan follows the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) recommendation that colleges shift all close-contact fall and winter sports to the spring semester. 

Affected sports include women’s soccer and basketball and men’s basketball.  “We are monitoring the pandemic closely and will adjust our plans as necessary,” Athletic Director Roger Ogden said. “But, we are cautiously optimistic that sports will resume in the spring.”

Competition is scheduled to resume January 2021 and the championship season will shift from March to April. Baseball and softball schedules will be adjusted to accommodate the new spring schedule. The only athletic activities this fall at Southwest will be practices and scrimmages, which the NJCAA has sanctioned.

Ogden says strict health and safety protocols will be in place during all athletic activities. “Coaches will advise student-athletes to engage in social distancing, practice good hand washing hygiene and wear face coverings,” Ogden said. “We will closely monitor student-athletes, coaches and staff member activities during practice, games and travel using Healthy Roster, a popular online health tracking application.”

Southwest athletes with questions or concerns should contact their sports coach or email Southwest Athletic Director Roger Ogden at rogden@southwest.tn.edu.

Southwest Athletics Fall and Spring Schedule

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Fall Practice Season

• Soccer practices and scrimmages permitted Aug. 15 – Nov. 15, 2020
• Maximum four (4) scrimmages allowed with maximum of two in spring. Each scrimmage limited to no more than two outside opponents.

Spring Championship Season

• Practice begins March 15, 2021
• Competition begins April 2, 2021
• Maximum of 14 games
• All regular season, region, and district competition completed by May 24, 2021
• NJCAA Women’s Soccer Championship begins June 2, 2021

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Fall Practice Season

• Practices and scrimmages are Sept.15 – Dec. 15, 2020
• Five (5) scrimmage dates in total allowed for the year with a maximum of two (2) scrimmages allowed in the spring. Each scrimmage limited to no more than two outside opponents.

Spring Championship Season

• Practice begins Jan. 11, 2021
• Competition begins Jan. 22, 2021
• Maximum of 22 games
• All regular season, region, and district competition completed by April 10, 2021
• NJCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships begin April 19, 2021

BASEBALL

Fall Practice Season

• Practices and scrimmages Sept. 5, 2020 – Nov. 15, 2020
• Maximum of 15 scrimmages against outside competition

Spring Championship Season

• Practice begins starting Jan. 10, 2021
• Competition begins Jan. 22, 2021
• Maximum of 56 games against outside competition
• All regular season, region, and district competition completed by May 23, 2021
• NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series is May 29 - June 5, 2021

SOFTBALL

Fall Practice Season

• Practices and scrimmages are September 5, 2020 – November 15, 2020
• Maximum of seven (7) scrimmage dates against outside competition

Spring Championship Season

• Practice begins Jan. 10, 2021
• Competition begins Jan. 22, 2021
• Maximum of 30 dates against outside competition
• All regular season, region, and district competition completed by May 19, 2021
• NJCAA Division I Softball Championship is May 25-29, 2021