Coaches see both sides of soccer and COVID-19
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Belle Vernon Area girls soccer coach Tracy Lovett and Charleroi boys coach Jon Ducoli share their passion for coaching with their passion for their jobs in the healthcare field.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, their careers have suddenly collided with coaching. But that intersection has brought valuable insight and guidance, leading both to have confidence a fall soccer season will happen. Their teams are scheduled to hit the field Sept. 4.
Lovett has more than 20 years experience as a nurse in various fields. Ducoli is an anesthesia technician at Mon Valley Hospital.
“I probably wasn’t as concerned as more and more panic spread,” Lovett said. “I’ve been in so many different fields of nursing, so for me, it was just another day of getting more guidelines. The school has its plan and using my background, I developed my own plan so we can decide how these sessions look for us.
“I will say that (Athletic Director) Matt Humbert has been right on top of everything. I think he’s done a fantastic job making sure we have everything we need.”
Lovett added she’s doing the temperature checks and screenings at BVA workouts herself, being able to monitor potential symptoms and behavior. She has also tailored sessions for additional time for sanitizing.
“I felt I had a pretty good handle on things. I wasn’t anxious or nervous,” she said. “I was very confident coming back despite knowing that no matter what, there’s always a risk.”
Ducoli logs every player every day at practice when they have their screenings.
“We make sure there’s no fluctuation in the health of our players,” Ducoli said. “I can go back every day for the past three weeks and track them from their screenings. The school district’s guidelines are very clean, very crisp. There’s no gray area. What we’re doing, we’re expanding on it. Extra laps if they’re not so far apart in the screening line.”
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