Brookdale Athletes Cope with
Spring Season Ending Abruptly
TheJournalNJ.com | MAY 2020 25
The bags were all packed, and the Brookdale Community College baseball
team was set for its annual March trip to Florida. The Blues had
already opened the season impressively with a 4-1 record that included
a 3-0 mark in Region 19 play. Head Coach Johnny Johnson liked what
he had seen.
“I had a good feeling about this team,” said Johnson. “We were in
pretty good shape. I thought we had a chance to get back to the Junior
College World Series.”
The good feeling came to a sudden end when, one day before the
Jersey Blues were headed to Kissimmee, Johnson received the news that
the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) had pulled the
plug on all spring sports because of the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“They were devastated,” Johnson said of his team. “It was tough for
them.”
The news had come down from Brookdale Athletic Director Katie
Amundson, who knew that with the cancellation of the spring sports “we
were in unchartered territory.”
“I had to communicate with the coaches and tell them to communicate
with the players about the decision,” Amundson said, noting that the
men’s lacrosse team had played two matches while the softball and men’s
tennis teams hadn’t started their seasons. “Everyone is heartbroken. We’re
doing the best we can to navigate through this.”
Although coaches can’t have in-person contact with their players, they
are still communicating through email, Skype, Facetime or Zoom.
“We’re doing our best to calm the students’ nerves,” Amundson said.
“We totally understand the students’ side, and everyone is doing the best
we can.”
She is in daily communication with each of the college’s student-athletes.
The top concern that the Brookdale athletes expressed to her was
whether they would get their year of eligibility back. The good news for the
sophomores was that the NJCAA announced that they would be granted an
extra year.
However, it did set up a predicament for the athletes, as Amundson
pointed out. Academically they are ready to move on to a four-year college.
It was a question for them now of should they stay another year or move
on. Also, the NCAA, which cancelled all Division I spring sports as well, was
going to give everyone the year back. So an athlete from a junior college
could now have three years of Division I eligibility instead of the usual two
if they make the transfer from their junior college to the Division I school.
However, not all junior college spring athletes are already set with the
college at which they will continue their academic and athletic careers. The
baseball team’s annual trip to Florida, for instance, is as much about putting
them in front of college scouts who attend these games as anything.
This year’s sophomores didn’t get that opportunity.
Having been in contact with Brookdale’s spring athletes, Amundson
was delighted to hear how much the college means to them.
“I was so pleased to be told by the student-athletes that they enjoyed
being at Brookdale and were proud to be Jersey Blues and wanted another
year,” she remarked.
The possible return of this year’s sophomores could create roster
problems with incoming freshmen joining programs next year.
Losing the season isn’t the only challenge for the spring athletes.
Staying eligible is also a concern. Brookdale, like all colleges, is instructing
BY TIM MORRIS
through online classes for the semester. Not everyone has the same off-campus
access to online communications, and that could present a problem for
-
grade-point average which would help keep them eligible.
As for the future and when competitive sports might return?
“Everything is still up in the air,” said Amundson. “We’ll go ahead when
the campus opens. The safety and health of the students is our only concern.”
Lunch Break Announces
Jon Stewart To Host
2020 Fall Gala
Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart will emcee Lunch Break’s annual
Fall Gala on Friday, Oct. 16 at Stillwell Stables, 117 Muhlenbrink Rd. in
Colts Neck. This year’s honorees include such philanthropic community
leaders as Carol Stillwell, president and CEO of Stillwell-Hansen Inc., Norma
Todd Service Award; Lunch Break Board President John Klein and his
wife, Robin, Heart to Hand Award; and Guttenplan’s Frozen Dough, A Child’s
Place School in Lincroft, and Abe and Linda Littenberg, Corporate Platinum
Partner Award.
“We are looking forward to this year’s gala with great excitement,” Executive
Director Gwendolyn Love said. “We are thrilled to have Jon Stewart
as our host and grateful to Carol Stillwell for providing the gorgeous fall
backdrop of Stillwell Stables. I couldn’t be more proud of our honorees, who
exemplify Lunch Break’s mission in their lives and work every day.”
The evening, which takes place from 6 to 11 pm, includes dinner, danc-
Lunch Break’s mission of providing food, clothing, fellowship and life skills to
For more information, contact Development Manager Jill Govel-
Gwydir at 732-747-8577, Ext. 3107, or jgwydir@lunchbreak.org.
Lunch Break accepts donations online at LunchBreak.org or at its headquarters,
121 Drs. James Parker Blvd. in Red Bank. Follow Lunch Break on
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
/TheJournalNJ.com
/LunchBreak.org
link