![]() ![]() Less than 20 minutes had passed from the swab to the time of the result, making it a very quick, easy and painless process – if you only have to do it once. Then, it went into the processing machine, which produced a result within 20 seconds. The swab was then placed into a tube, where it had to sit for 15 minutes. University of Colorado athletics medical staff members process COVID-19 tests. “Put that in your nose until you get resistance and then do five circles with the swab,” Hamstra said. Andrew Hamstra, the associate athletic trainer for CU football, handled the nasal swab test. ![]() To visit George at his office recently, it was required to stop by the COVID-19 testing station at CU’s Champions Center. “Rick made his expectations of our students and staff very clear from the very beginning.” “I know for me, I’d run through a wall for someone like that. “What I love about Rick is he’s very clear in what his expectations are and what he wants, but he also genuinely loves people,” Payne said. Through it all, George and his staff made a point to keep coaches, student-athletes and their parents informed. “But, I know we were very comfortable and confident with everything we were doing and I think the fact that we were doing it almost daily gave us confidence.” “It might have been a little bit overboard, I don’t know,” Payne said. To return, the Pac-12 would test athletes more than any other conference. The Pac-12 made a deal with Quidel Corporation for daily, rapid-results COVID-19 tests, and that gave conference leaders the comfort to return to playing sports – something all of the other major conferences were already doing. 11, when COVID-19 numbers spiked, the conference elected to shut down all sports until at least Jan. In July, the Pac-12 announced plans for a remodeled football season. “It was such a huge adjustment for students that it took a couple of bonks over the head to make sure we knew what exactly this meant,” CU women’s basketball coach JR Payne said. University of Colorado Boulder’s head coach JR Payne in the Utah game at the CU Events Center in Boulder on Dec. There were mask and social-distancing mandates and limitations on the number of people who could train at one time. Roller coasterĪfter several months of uncertainty, student-athletes began returning to Boulder in June. “We were in pretty much of a crisis mode,” he said. Suddenly, long-term plans went out the window. Thus began an intense and challenging year for George, who has operated through strategic plans since he was hired as CU’s leader in July of 2013. The next day, the CU campus shut down and went to remote learning. There was uncertainty, concern and panic. Within two hours of returning to Boulder with the basketball team, George was at the CU Events Center, talking to all of the student-athletes and coaches. The next day, fear of spreading the novel coronavirus led to the cancellation of the rest of the Pac-12 Tournament, as well as a shutdown of all college and pro sports. It wound up being one of the last major sporting events in the country for months. ![]() On the night of March 11, 2020, the CU men’s basketball team was upset by Washington State in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I would say it’s the most challenging and definitely the most interesting (year), because so many different things happened throughout the year,” George said. George and the Buffaloes have managed to navigate through the most difficult year ever for college athletics. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 20: Evan Battey #21 and Jeriah Horne #41 of the Colorado Buffaloes react to a play against the Georgetown Hoyas in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Main Indianapolis, Indiana. For CU athletics, it has led to a massive loss of revenue, layoffs, furloughs, postponed and canceled games, and empty stadiums and arenas. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menuĭuring the past 13 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of people in all walks of life. ![]()
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