Tim Bald has dealt with plenty of issues in 16 years as the athletic director at St. Norbert College.
But like everyone in his position, the coronavirus pandemic that shut down sports this spring has been like nothing he’s experienced at the NCAA Division III school.
“Without a doubt, the next thing to compare it to is 9/11,” said Bald, who was the assistant athletic director for compliance at the University of Wisconsin before arriving at SNC in 2004. “That was quite a while ago, and I wasn’t working at the level I am now.”
SNC will move into the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2021-22 after competing in the Midwest Conference since 1983.
While the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recently cut its men's and women's tennis programs, SNC appears to be in good position with its 23-sport athletics program.
Many DIII schools, especially private ones like SNC, are tuition-dependent institutions. The athletic department essentially is an extension of the admissions department. Bald doesn’t have to make the choice of cutting a sport. It would be made for him.
He doesn’t view that as a concern for SNC.
“I don’t foresee it for us,” Bald said. “We are in a fairly healthy situation right now, as best that can be expected. That’s because of the institution and the reputation it has. Knock on wood, we are weathering the storm pretty well right now.
“There may come a day where as a conference — this is our last year in the Midwest Conference — the Midwest Conference right now is at the bare minimum for tennis. There has been people that have made the decision (to cut their program) already, and I think it’s just them not being able to field teams on their campuses. Those are decisions being made, but those were being made before COVID came about.”
Perhaps the biggest challenge has come in recruiting. Coaches can’t have athletes on campus for visits, which in a way is even more important at the DIII level.
They don’t have scholarships to offer, so selling the school and campus can be just as vital as selling the athletic program.
A virtual tour only is so effective.
Although parts of the country are starting to slowly open, it remains to be seen what the college sports landscape looks like in a few months.
The Green Knights’ first football game is scheduled for Sept. 5 at Loras College, with their first home contest a week later against UW-Stout.
Other fall sports such as women’s volleyball, men’s soccer and the men’s and women’s cross-country squads all are set to start the first week of September.
Bald had a conference call with other ADs earlier this week to look at possible scenarios.
“Are you reducing nonconference games? Start dates? If somebody tests positive? It’s all across the board,” Bald said. “Now, we are being told from our commissioner that there should be some more guidance from the NCAA coming out as far as starting.
“There are not going to be any requirements, basically, from the NCAA. They have already said the decision is going to be based by conferences, by states and local municipalities with those institutions. You are going to have to do that, according to those governmental groups.”
Which is why Bald won’t even attempt to guess when, or if, the fall season starts.
“People ask me all the time and I say, ‘I have no clue.’” Bald said. “I’m serious about that. I never even thought when I was sitting at UW-Platteville at our men’s basketball regional on that Friday night (in March), and a week later the thing came to a screeching halt.
“In that time, I would have never guessed that. I just couldn’t even fathom something like that, and it did. Personally, I want the kids to have a great experience. Whatever we can do there, let’s make it work for them.”
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May 22, 2020 at 04:07AM
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St. Norbert College athletics in 'fairly healthy situation right now' - Green Bay Press Gazette
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