Part 1: In-person
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on people's lives worldwide. Governments and health institutions have had to adopt measures aimed at keeping the virus at bay. Despite the efforts, many individuals have lost their lives and sources of livelihood. Workplaces had to close for a while as part of the measures to curb the spread. Learning institutions were also affected, with teachers, students, and other staff members having to stay home to remain safe. The Excellent Basketball Program has equally had to adjust and embrace critical adaptations to ensure compliance with the regulations proposed by health institutions.
Adaptations needed
COVID-19 affected many industries, with sports being one of those that were hit hardest by the virus. According to Grix et al. (2020), the virus resulted in significant changes across the sports fraternity at both the grassroots and elite levels. For instance, elite sports such as the NBA had to be put on hold until further directives were communicated. Global sports events such as soccer in the European nations also had to remain on hold as the virus claimed lives. The resumption of sports also came with changes, with fans instructed to stay at home as part of the strategy to tame the virus. Players also had to adopt safety protocols that have since helped tame the virus. The same protocols are critical in informing the adaptations needed by the Excellent Basketball program to run smoothly.
Under the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, health organizations worldwide took measures to keep people safe. The measures included staying at home, observing social distance, sanitizing, and wearing masks to stop the virus's spread (Chen et al., 2020). Excellent Basketball program focuses on the safety of both the players and trainers. Therefore, it is in line with the health regulations that the program aims to operate in compliance with appropriate and safe regulations for all.
Conducting training sessions in small groups
One of the Excellent Basketball Program pillars is to provide training sessions to equip the players with the skills to become competent on the field. The training sessions involve different physical activities that are critical to fitness. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on such training sessions, with measures being taken to ensure safety. One of the adaptations needed to be in place is conducting training sessions in small groups. Small groups are manageable in terms of ensuring compliance to maintaining social distance. With the adaptation, the program will witness different positive transformations through training players in small groups. For example, coaches will focus on players' individual needs, which will result in significant improvement in terms of physicality and skills. The close attention will also improve the players' morale due to the coaching staff's advice, which will be offered one on one.
Organizing separate training sessions
Another fundamental measure that the Excellent Basketball Program should adopt is conducting separate sessions with the players to avoid overcrowding. For example, the training program involves gym sessions where the players are taken through various instructor routines to improve their physical shape. However, the program will have to reduce the number of sessions and separate each session to allow players to come in at different times. Unlike before, where sessions involved all the players, some will stay home and report at future confirmed dates as part of complying with the health regulations for managing coronavirus.
Furthermore, separate sessions will allow for the sanitization of equipment before use in the next session. For instance, players touch gym equipment and wet due to the physicality of such exercises. Therefore, it is fundamental to ensure that the virus does not transfer through such avenues.
Maintaining social distance
The health measures will not only affect the players but other individuals who work closely with them too. Another critical adaptation needed by the Excellent Basketball Program courtesy of COVID-19 is ensuring social distancing around the compound. Health experts explain that social distance helps curb the virus's spread from one person to the other.
WHO has instructed people to maintain distance to ensure they are safe. In light of this measure, the program will adopt measures that everyone must follow. Marks should be situated strategically in areas such as the gym to ensure that everyone remains within the ideal distance from one another. The markings will be critical in sessions where the players need to line up as instructed by their trainers.
Organizing regular testing
The other critical adaptation that will ensure player and staff safety by complying with the COVID-19 protocols is organizing testing sessions. Testing for the virus is vital in ensuring the safety of other people. When test results are positive, appropriate measures such as tracing contacts can follow to ensure the virus does not spread to an uncontrollable level. All the personnel associated with the Excellent Basketball program can participate in regular testing to guarantee compliance with the health measures.
The highlighted adaptations will result in significant changes. Complying with the changes may prove challenging at the initial stages but will have an overall positive impact on everyone associated with the Excellent Basketball Program.
Part 2: Online
The digital media space has experienced a significant surge, unlike before, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People worldwide have had to comply with regulations promoting social distancing as a way of curbing the virus. Lockdown measures also necessitated the need to use online digital platforms to comply with the directive (De et al., 2020). Platforms such as Zoom have experienced a surge in the number of users who have continued to find the sites useful to attending to important work-related issues.
The Excellent Basketball Program should also adopt similar measures to promote player's and worker's safety. One of the areas where the organization can resort to using online avenues is in teaching social skills. The Excellent Basketball Program Vision statement states, "To offer basketball coaching reference points that would provide young basketball players acquire international ideas, knowledge, and best practices on and off the pitch." Social skills are critical to helping the players adjust to society's expectations and comply with the ideal practices. Positive social skills will ensure that the players do not indulge in unacceptable moral conduct that may affect how they interact with others in society. Some of the morally unacceptable conduct that the program aims to ensure players avoid is engaging in criminal activities and using drugs.
Adaptations needed
Using online platforms to conduct social skills lessons and meetings
Social skills lessons do not require an instructor to be present physically. The lessons can continue remotely through the available channels. For example, the social skills trainers can use Zoom meetings to engage the players in positive lessons that will help them become productive. The Zoom meetings will eliminate the need for face-to-face sessions. The online lessons will ensure that the players and staff members are safe from the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. The measure will also be convenient in saving time since it will eliminate the need to move from one location to the next.
Secondly, the Excellent Basketball Program can rely on online platforms to conduct meetings. The players and coaching staff often conduct meetings to deliberate on tactics to use in games. Such meetings do not require a physical presence since they involve diagrams and other related materials fundamental to executing game plans. Therefore, the program can rely on this adaptation to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 regulations.
Setting up conference rooms
Another adaptation that will be fundamental to running the Excellent Basketball program is the creation of conference rooms. The conference rooms should be equipped with the appropriate technology to facilitate meetings. For instance, the room should have a camera that can facilitate online sessions. The room should also have adequate lighting to ensure that the picture quality is up to the required standard.
The conference room will be critical for the trainers when interacting with the players via online platforms. Furthermore, the conference rooms will also help the trainers comply with the COVID-19 regulations. One instructor and technical assistant who will help in operations will be allowed inside the room at any given time. They will comply with the regulations such as maintaining social distance and sanitizing. Having a shared conference room will ensure trainers who do not have the proper technology can still interact with their players.
Organizing online workout sessions
Excellent Basketball Program has a detailed workout plan that players comply with to improve their overall fitness. Fitness ensures that the players are well prepared to perform exceptionally in games. The fitness techniques that trainers use include upper and lower body training, sprinting, and recovery activities. Each of the training activities is organized into specific days where players under their trainers' supervision embark on each activity. While the COVID-19 pandemic will affect face-to-face training operations, the online platform provides a substitute avenue that the Excellent Basketball Program can utilize.
Most people adopted home training activities to help them remain in good shape during the lockdown. According to Chen et al. (2020), training at home can entail simple routines that ensure safety. The Excellent Basketball Program can also adopt a similar measure to ensure players remain fit while observing safe health protocols. Trainers can conduct such sessions online, which will help them track the players complying with the program and those who are failing to observe the procedures.
Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in various measures pertinent to ensuring that the virus does not spread and cause further harm. The virus has brought significant changes in sectors such as education and sports. The Excellent Basketball Program should adopt similar changes to continue with the daily operations while ensuring that players and trainers remain safe. Part of the adaptions needed will affect in-person interaction, while others will affect online interactions. Safety during such a period is fundamental to guarantee that the program becomes a success. It is a learning experience that has a significant impact on the program's future.
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References
Chen, P., Mao, L., Nassis, G. P., Harmer, P., Ainsworth, B. E., & Li, F. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): The need to maintain regular physical activity while taking precautions. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7031771/
De', R., Pandey, N., & Pal, A. (2020). Impact of digital surge during COVID-19 pandemic: A viewpoint on research and practice. International Journal of Information Management, 55, 102171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102171
Grix, J., Brannagan, P. M., Grimes, H., & Neville, R. (2020, November 27). The impact of COVID-19 on sport. Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19406940.2020.1851285
