HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – For the first time since World War II, an academic year will pass at Hope College without any intercollegiate football games played by the Orange and Blue.
The Holland school announced this morning that a truncated five-game spring schedule, set due to COVID 19 health concerns that wiped out the normal campaign this past fall, will not be held. Instead, the players will be using a “phased-in offseason training program … that includes strength and conditioning work, four to five weeks of practice, and the potential for scrimmages,” according to an athletic department statement.
Peter Stuursma, whose fifth year of coaching the Flying Dutchmen will now be in the fall of 2021, was quoted in that statement, “A catchphrase for this type of decision is ‘opting out, but I like to look at it as ‘opting in’ … opting into using this spring season to fully prepare and develop our program for the fall of 2021. This is a performance and safety-driven decision, not a decision driven by the impacts of COVID-19.
“We connected with full-time staff, athletic administrators, athletic trainers, and college coaches in the Midwest as well as our players. My duty and responsibility are to provide the safest and most successful opportunity for our student-athletes to play and perform at the highest level, and I believe this decision will help us accomplish that. Our goal for 2021 is to win the fall MIAA championship. We will not take our eyes off that goal.”
Hope did not field a team during the war years of 1943-45. The Flying Dutchmen are scheduled to begin their 2021 football season on September 4th by hosting Anderson University at Ray & Sue Smith Stadium.
Comments