Cape cross country coach Matt Lindell looks to fall season

The beginning of June is astronomically spring in the northern hemisphere. Mid-August is still summer when practices for fall sports begin. And by the time the fall equinox hits the planet, football will be preparing for game three and field hockey game five. 

Cape has five experienced coaches for the fall sports lineup, including Matt Lindell, boys’ and girls’ cross country; J.D. Maull, football; Kate Austin, field hockey; Patrick Kilby, boys’ soccer; and Tyler Coupe, girls’ volleyball. 

The sports situation as of June 1 is unsettled and unpredictable, which opens up a new word for veteran coaches: “unpreparable.”  

Cape Gazette Sports Editor Emeritus Dave Frederick vibrated the pockets of each coach and asked them the same questions.

Let’s lead off the interviews with Cape boys’ and girls’ cross country coach Matt Lindell.  

CG: How do you prepare for a season when you don’t know if it will happen?

Lindell: This question reminds me of John Wooden’s words, “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.” A lot of life is preparing for what may or may not happen, but it is always best to be prepared. As a coach, I am going forward as business as usual with season preparations, and as for the runners on our XC team, most of them are self-motivated and buoyed by the success of both teams last year. I have received emails from some of my athletes who tell me about what they have been doing on their own to prepare for the season. I think we all are looking forward to finding some sense of normalcy and return of routine in our everyday lives, and by preparing for a future date, such as the fall season, it brings a sense of hope and optimism that is sorely needed.

CG: What about athletes and summer training and relying on leadership of rising seniors? 

Lindell: I held a Zoom meeting for those student-athletes at Cape Henlopen High School, Beacon and Mariner who are interested in running XC at Cape in the fall. We have about 65 student-athletes who attended the meeting or sent me a message that they want to compete this fall. Both boys’ and girls’ teams have high expectations for this coming season and are motivated to improve. Some of our XC runners have already been training on their own since March, as one can get a running workout anywhere with proper social distancing. All of our interested runners have a summer workout plan that I have created for varying levels of experience, so preparations have been made to be successful in the fall, and it is up to each individual to prepare over the summer months.

CG: Athletes in competition all sweat, breathe, get dirty and stomp on each other. Competitive sports have to be full tilt, and playing behind a mask is not feasible. Has anyone asked for your input? Do you even have input on these matters? 

Lindell: I have not had anyone ask me for my input regarding athletics. I know that the governor has created three separate committees to discuss what schooling will look like in the fall; however, in my humble opinion, these committees are light on teacher representation.

CG: American athletes, especially at school age, are either asymptomatic or non-infected, but the risk goes up as the age and weight rise. Coaches are older, refs older too, then parents and grandparents in the stands and media types like Fredman – where do you draw the line, or perhaps you don’t draw any?

Lindell: I am not an epidemiologist, so I think it is important to yield to the medical experts on where such lines should be drawn. My selfish hope would be that there would be some type of preventive measures that could reduce the risks while allowing student-athletes to compete in front of those who care about them. It may not be as normal [pre-March] as we would like it to be, but any step toward what was once normal is a positive step forward.

CG: Big question: If it’s coach at your own risk and you feel it’s risky, would you coach anyway? 

Lindell: I have had enough close calls over the past couple of years with health that I consider myself playing with house money, so I would coach if it was at my own risk. On the other hand, if choosing to coach meant posing a great risk to my student-athletes, the answer would be no.

CG: I guess we all wait to see how DIAA and Cape plan out what is to happen next? 

Lindell: Even though the spring season was canceled, I was impressed with DIAA’s backup plan for the spring sports should they have resumed. I am hopeful that DIAA will once again be proactive and solicit input from all involved who share a common interest to get our student-athletes back on the field or course in a safe, responsible manner. I have faith that Cape will do the same for our student-athletes.