Jenni Carlson: Why OU, OSU football break for Christmas is good for players' mental health
Daily OklahomanDec 24, 2020
Dec. 24—Nik Bonitto had decided to stay in
Even after he found out OU coach
Staying on campus seemed the right thing to do.
"But my mom didn't really give me much of a choice," he said.
She wanted him home.
"I'm definitely heading home now," he said.
As many college football teams are preparing for bowl games, many of those same teams are cutting loose their players for a holiday break. Coaches, including those at OU and
Call it a Christmas miracle.
A win for players' mental health, too.
This has been a college football season like no other, the pandemic not only casting a constant pall but also keeping players in quasi-bubbles for nearly six months. They've seen their teammates, coaches and professors, though lots of players took all their classes virtually, so face-to-face contact has been limited. Trips home have been minimal as have visits from family.
I had a parent of a player in a major-college program tell me recently that even though they traveled to all the games this season, they only saw their son for a few minutes afterward. Everyone was masked. No one hugged. And certainly, no one got together for a meal or anything.
Now, every program may not be as stringent as that, but the demands on the players have been higher than ever.
Add in the fight for social justice, and the mental strain has been extreme.
"I'd be lying if I said it was easy being up here and not being able to go home since June, July," Sooner quarterback and
OU center
The way he talked, it sure sounded like it has weighed heavy on him.
And remember, Humphrey is a fourth-year player. He's more mature, more capable of handling the stresses and strains that normally come with the season. And still, something in his voice sounded tired.
"It's a huge deal for us," Humphrey said of the Christmas break.
The truth is, giving players time off is a risk.
First of all, it's a risk in a macro sense. If they do travel, they'll go against the recommendations of health and medical experts who are discouraging holiday travel in hopes of slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone is being told to stay put.
One caveat, though: very few people on planet Earth have been tested more than major-college football players.
As they practiced earlier this week, the
The likelihood that they would take the virus back to their family members is small.
Players could catch it while they're home, of course, and that's the micro part of the risk. Upon returning to campus, they could test positive and miss their bowl. It would be bad for the player, of course, but it'd be bad for their team, too. OU and
In an attempt to avoid that, the head coaches at both places have talked to players about being extremely careful when they are home, not only for the players' health but also for the well-being of the team.
"Try to stay away from people as much as possible," Cowboy coach
Gundy and Riley want players to wear their masks and keep their distance as much as possible, but they know that can't eliminate all the risk.
Still, the coaches giving the players a chance to go home because they believe there's a risk to keep them on campus, too. These guys need a mental break, a chance to be with their families and recharge their batteries.
"I haven't been home ... since this COVID thing kicked off," said OU fullback
Sooner defensive coordinator
Lots of things during this pandemic aren't fair, and while sending hundreds of players out onto the highways and byways isn't without peril, keeping them sequestered on campus isn't without risk either.
There are few perfect answers during a pandemic, but this is a win for mental health.
"We've been going hard at it for a couple months now," Bonitto said. "
"It is really appreciated."
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