Navigating COVID-19 — Cal featured by New York Times

An unprecedented time in all of our lives, the year 2020 has changed so much of the way we view the world. From our everyday lives to the way we consume sports. From the way we socialize and integrate with our communities to the way we go about our jobs.

Everything in the year of 2020 has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19, the vile strain that has killed more than 180,000 in America, has truly changed everything.

For our intents and purposes here, we’ll stick to sports. Specifically your California Golden Bears, who has had everything changed as well since mid-March.

It seems like eons ago that Cal had knocked off Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament. It seems like ages ago that we were looking forward to spring football practice.

And as we have what feels like a forever before we see the return of competitive sports (and our normal-day lives), sports will return. And it’s a matter of how we navigate these trying times and tough aspects of the novel coronavirus in our returns to everyday life and sports.

Without me unveiling too much, the Cal athletics programs were recently featured by the New York Times in an incredibly-detailed look at how the Golden Bears are doing just that.

I don’t have to tell you twice that the NY Times knows a thing or two about storytelling, and this one is worth your time.

From direct quotes from athletics director Jim Knowlton to detailed accounts of just how Cal is addressing the issues at hand in their return to sports — this one is a must-read.

This one goes full circle, from March to present day. From the would-be celebrations of triumphs to the now-desolate practice fields and how the student-athletes, coaches and staff are adjusting to life and sports in a sports-less world.

Do yourself a favor, and check this out.

Solving a Pandemic Puzzle: Inside the Return of Sports to a Power-5 Program