The University of Vermont Catamounts are 5-3 on this young season, but another NCAA team less than three miles away, is still just hoping to get started. “You know, I’d love to say they are doing alright, but they are struggling man. It’s not something that you or I ever had to deal with when they were playing…when it’s removed from your life it’s really really difficult to deal with. I’m 47, I’m an adult. I’ve been through a lot more than these kids have and I’m struggling with it,” Saint Michael’s Head Basketball Coach Eric Eaton said.Like many other Division 2 and 3 schools across the country, the St. Mike’s Purple Knights are still waiting to hit the hardwood due to COVID restrictions – while other programs in the neighborhood are in action.“It’s probably the one think that makes the day-to-day battle with this the most difficult. It’s not just with them because they are close, I looked at this a couple of weeks ago, and my wife took the computer away from me because she did not want me looking at it anymore. I went through and I looked at the 14 teams in our league, and every single team in our league has another school that is within a very small distance from them. Inside of 10 miles for the most of them, that are all playing,” Eaton said. But just like Coach Eaton would tell his players, you have to ignore the outside noise and distractions.“My job is to manage my program and fit into the community here. The bottom line comes down to, We have some really really bright, really really smart people that are really experienced that are making the best decisions for St. Michael’s college. Regardless of what I think that’s the right thing. They are really good at their jobs, and I am just trying to be really good at mine,” Eaton said. When the Purple Knight family does get to reunite on the hardwood, Coach knows they’ll be prepared.”From a basketball perspective, there is nothing that is worse than this. They are learning a whole lot of things that they wouldn’t have learned had they of been here in a traditional setting,” Eaton said.The Purple Knights now hope they can play a minimum of 11 games against other Division 2 teams to at least have a shot at the NCAA tournament, but as of now the Coach Eaton and his boys, just want to play ball as soon as it is safe to do so.
The University of Vermont Catamounts are 5-3 on this young season, but another NCAA team less than three miles away, is still just hoping to get started.
“You know, I’d love to say they are doing alright, but they are struggling man. It’s not something that you or I ever had to deal with when they were playing…when it’s removed from your life it’s really really difficult to deal with. I’m 47, I’m an adult. I’ve been through a lot more than these kids have and I’m struggling with it,” Saint Michael’s Head Basketball Coach Eric Eaton said.
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Like many other Division 2 and 3 schools across the country, the St. Mike’s Purple Knights are still waiting to hit the hardwood due to COVID restrictions – while other programs in the neighborhood are in action.
“It’s probably the one think that makes the day-to-day battle with this the most difficult. It’s not just with them because they are close, I looked at this a couple of weeks ago, and my wife took the computer away from me because she did not want me looking at it anymore. I went through and I looked at the 14 teams in our league, and every single team in our league has another school that is within a very small distance from them. Inside of 10 miles for the most of them, that are all playing,” Eaton said.
But just like Coach Eaton would tell his players, you have to ignore the outside noise and distractions.
“My job is to manage my program and fit into the community here. The bottom line comes down to, We have some really really bright, really really smart people that are really experienced that are making the best decisions for St. Michael’s college. Regardless of what I think that’s the right thing. They are really good at their jobs, and I am just trying to be really good at mine,” Eaton said.
When the Purple Knight family does get to reunite on the hardwood, Coach knows they’ll be prepared.
“From a basketball perspective, there is nothing that is worse than this. They are learning a whole lot of things that they wouldn’t have learned had they of been here in a traditional setting,” Eaton said.
The Purple Knights now hope they can play a minimum of 11 games against other Division 2 teams to at least have a shot at the NCAA tournament, but as of now the Coach Eaton and his boys, just want to play ball as soon as it is safe to do so.
