Thomas College unveils game plan for modified fall sports season

Thomas College field hockey game action shot.

Courtesy / Thomas College Thomas College in Waterville laid out a plan to create a "meaningful and exciting" upcoming modified athletics season. This photo from pre-pandemic times shows Thomas College athlete Lindsey Gregoire making her way up the field in a 2019 field hockey contest against Dean College.

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By Renee Cordes

With the North Atlantic Conference halting fall sports play this season, Thomas College is setting out to arrange some competitions with other schools in the region that have a similar testing regime.

The plan for a "meaningful and exciting modified season," in the words of Thomas College athletics director Christopher Parsons, was made possible by a rigorous testing protocol at the Waterville school.

Speaking to Mainebiz Tuesday morning, Thomas College President Laurie Lachance said that athletes will be tested every week and the entire community of students, faculty and staff will be tested every other week.

"We are investing a quarter of a million dollars in testing capability, which is going to enable us ensure our athletes are safe and gives us the flexibility in trying to salvage some of the season," she said. Underscoring that health is a top priority, she said the school will not go ahead with the plan if there is even the slightest danger of a virus outbreak. "But if there is a chance we can, then why not?"

While the details are still being worked out, she said she is talking to her counterparts at a "small but mighty group" of schools in Maine and Vermont, including Waterville neighbor Colby College, about the athletics plan. The plan envisions playing a maximum number of competitions during a tweaked season.

Thomas College has a student body of about 800 full-time undergraduates and 200 graduate students.

Lachance recently told Mainebiz that Thomas College plans to invest more than $1 million to ensure a safe return to campus this fall, with increased cleaning and disinfecting protocols and capacity limits on every room in every building. Fall semester classes are scheduled to resume at Thomas College in September.

Concerning athletes specifically, Lachance said Monday that the plan is for athletes to practice throughout September. Then in October if conditions allow and on-campus testing has kept the coronavirus at bay, then there would be a limited number of games against other schools.

She emphasizes that would happen under extremely safe conditions, with every athlete tested for COVID-19 and spectators spread out for proper physical distancing.

"We just wanted to innovatively find a way to at least have that opportunity and leave that door open," she said. "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but we didn't want to foreclose an opportunity" that means so much not just to students, but also the entire Thomas College community.

She also said the school is working on a full-scale build-out of on-campus and special outdoor activities for all students and added: "We owe it as college to teach our young people about resilience. This year it's a pandemic, but who knows what challenges they're going to face going forward. We owe it to them ... to show them that just because this horrible situation has come our way, what are the good things you can pull out of it."

Parsons struck a similar note in a note to the Thomas College Community that spelling out some details of the upcoming season, promising to announce a new preseason return date shortly "to start building team culture."

Besides competitions against other schools, the plan calls for robust strength and conditioning, team training and individual technical training; leadership and mental toughness programs; making the most of Thomas College's outdoor campus facilities, including a 55-trail system and resources to create new wellness and recreational opportunities for the whole College community; and using community partnerships with local businesses and organizations to expand athletic and recreational opportunities.

'Courageous, resilient and proud'

"Thomas College student-athletes are courageous, resilient, and proud," Parsons said in Monday's note. "While I am absolutely heartbroken that we will not have a traditional season this fall, I cannot help but feel positive and excited for the unique opportunities that we will create together that will build even stronger team and community foundations for our bright future."

He added: "Even while we adapt to the changes that COVID-19 has forced on us, I am confident as ever that together we will help strengthen the bonds of Terrier pride for the entire Thomas College community."