The year 2020 brought a change in lifestyle for many college students, especially student athletes, who had their seasons cut short in the wave of the pandemic.
When the COVID-19 became more widespread in March of 2020, there was an abrupt end to the season for all NCAA spring sports. Due to this, the NCAA granted collegiate athletes a fifth season to compete in their respective sport.
There are a few Lee student-athletes who have taken advantage of their extra season.
Brandon Daniels, photo by @rileyrogersphoto
When the rule was put in place during outfielder Brandon Daniels’ freshman season on the Flames’ baseball team, he decided to view the 2020 season as a training year.
“My freshman year got cut short for [COVID-19] and I found out a bunch of people were saying the NCAA is going to grant everybody another year. I was thinking this would be perfect, I can use the rest of this year to really develop and then play for four more years. It's just like a redshirt year, but I already had a little bit of experience,” Daniels said.
Daniels used the time away from the field to improve in his physical abilities such as running and lifting weights, and he credits it with his success on the field.
“Since then I've just been able to make steps and strides where I needed to be and it's worked out good for me,” Daniels said.
The athletes are not the only ones taking advantage of this, coaches are advising fifth season players to lead some of the younger players. One of the main things coaches are pushing is accountability by having the fifth year players demonstrating the work ethic that the younger players need. Guard Alex Kelehear, a fifth year on the men’s basketball team, says Head Basketball Coach Bubba Smith does just that.
Alex Kelehear, photo by @rileyrogersphoto
“He puts a big emphasis on the older guys being able to show the younger guys what the program is about and going about it the right way. Not just showing up 10-15 minutes before practice when pretty much everybody would just be coming in. It's getting in there 45 minutes before practice,” Kelehear said.
Not only does a fifth season allow athletes to lead their younger teammates and continue playing the sport that they love. It also allows them to pursue graduate degrees at the same time. Head baseball coach Mark Brew believes that this benefits both the player and the program.
“I think it's a win for both of us. You get players that have the opportunity to get advanced degrees such as MBA’s or second degrees, double majoring and then obviously they get to play another year and so as a coach, experiences are always important in the grand scheme of things. Those guys who are normally going out and getting jobs now get that extra extra year in the sun,” Brew said.
Head Coach Mark Brew, photo by @rileyrogersphoto
That extra year is also the last time some of these athletes would be playing their sport. For athletes like Caleigh Smith, a women’s lacrosse goalkeeper, adding another school year to play the sport means extending time with a sport they would not be able to play competitively again.
Caleigh Smith, photo by @rileyrogersphoto
“I ended up deciding [to stay for a fifth year] probably about three quarters through the spring semester of 2023 because it was …a whole year,” Smith said. “You know, it's not really a pro lacrosse league. So it would be my last year playing in general.”
To see more of these student athletes and other fifth years, make sure to go support your Lee Flames this season by following on the new Flames app and on FloSports!
