"...It wasn't terrible, and I’ll tell you this much: It was COVID friendly with all that fresh air blowing through the car.” - one of the things I've enjoyed watching this program develop is how they just roll with it sometimes.
Absolutely love tis ultra deep dive into ASU's schedule. I was wondering how they were going to pull it off. I worked as a trip captain for the Alpine ski club and took a busload of 45 people people on a weekend ski trip 13 times a season while working full time as a probation officer. I know how hard it can be to load and unload buses when every person has ski equipment, too many bags (it's a weekend for God's sake and you're skiing all day) and want to bring coolers with drinks and snacks. I'm blessed with incredible spacious reasoning but packing the bus bays was always an adventure. I'm 5"2" and often had to get deep into the bays and lay on my back and push with my legs to make everything fit. This article brought many memories to mind and I truly appreciate the logistics of trying to anticipate everything that could happen and be prepared for it. Great article, great players and even best staff. Amazing.
In the mid 1980s, Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks had an NCAA division 1 hockey program. We would travel for 3 weeks at a time. Sometimes traveling from Flagstaff Arizona to Fairbanks Alaska to Minnesota to Michigan then back to Flagstaff. Thank heavens we didn't have to deal with the COVID-19 isolation back then. Long trips but everyone handled it well.
Reading this again, I've come to terms that 'plucky' doesn't even begin to cover it. If anyone were to question Arizona State having a hockey team - right, like anyone would ever question that ::eye-roll:: they certainly can't question the dedication of the players and staff.
I love getting a chance to learn more about the ASU hockey program and learning so much about this such unique ordeal they have gone through. A bit curious: mentioned in passing that they now use 2 buses, in part to avoid issues with too much equipment but also so the players can be split from the staff. Is keeping the players and staff separated as much as possible just out of abundance of caution, or is there certain outside interactions the staff have that put them at a different level of risk for exposure?
Really, really awesome article. This was a deep dive.
I love to tackle this kind of story.
"...It wasn't terrible, and I’ll tell you this much: It was COVID friendly with all that fresh air blowing through the car.” - one of the things I've enjoyed watching this program develop is how they just roll with it sometimes.
Laughner is hilarious. He gave me at least five money quotes as good as that one.
Absolutely love tis ultra deep dive into ASU's schedule. I was wondering how they were going to pull it off. I worked as a trip captain for the Alpine ski club and took a busload of 45 people people on a weekend ski trip 13 times a season while working full time as a probation officer. I know how hard it can be to load and unload buses when every person has ski equipment, too many bags (it's a weekend for God's sake and you're skiing all day) and want to bring coolers with drinks and snacks. I'm blessed with incredible spacious reasoning but packing the bus bays was always an adventure. I'm 5"2" and often had to get deep into the bays and lay on my back and push with my legs to make everything fit. This article brought many memories to mind and I truly appreciate the logistics of trying to anticipate everything that could happen and be prepared for it. Great article, great players and even best staff. Amazing.
That's a funny visual of you in the bays.
In the mid 1980s, Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks had an NCAA division 1 hockey program. We would travel for 3 weeks at a time. Sometimes traveling from Flagstaff Arizona to Fairbanks Alaska to Minnesota to Michigan then back to Flagstaff. Thank heavens we didn't have to deal with the COVID-19 isolation back then. Long trips but everyone handled it well.
Reading this again, I've come to terms that 'plucky' doesn't even begin to cover it. If anyone were to question Arizona State having a hockey team - right, like anyone would ever question that ::eye-roll:: they certainly can't question the dedication of the players and staff.
No doubt. This is truly a season like no other.
Great article Craig! Interesting to learn more about the behind the scenes of this road trip of a season thus far for ASU
I'll be curious to see if they do the same thing on the 16-game second half. If they even play .500 hockey they should get an NCAA Tournament bid.
I love getting a chance to learn more about the ASU hockey program and learning so much about this such unique ordeal they have gone through. A bit curious: mentioned in passing that they now use 2 buses, in part to avoid issues with too much equipment but also so the players can be split from the staff. Is keeping the players and staff separated as much as possible just out of abundance of caution, or is there certain outside interactions the staff have that put them at a different level of risk for exposure?
I think it's just to give the players some space (and maybe the staff, too. Ha!); time to be college kids.
That certainly makes sense. Gotta let kids be kids sometimes, and let the adults be adults.
fun read, thanks for covering the ASU program
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