An Update from Troy Dannen
Mar 19, 2020 | General
Members of the Tulane Community,
Like I am sure for many of you, this past week has felt like a month. I hope that you and your families are healthy and safe. For those of us in the Tulane Green Wave Athletics Department, we are focused on our families at home and our family of student-athletes and coaches now spread across the country and those here in New Orleans.
In times of crisis during our lifetime, we have often been challenged to hurry back to "living our lives as normal as possible" and for many of us, we are used to sports leading the way back in America. Just one week ago, it was sports leading the way as the nation began living our lives in a most abnormal way—in isolation. Our new normal is challenging, frightening and uncertain. Our new normal, however, will help chart a path for all of us out of the current crisis.
Tulanians show a remarkable resiliency through challenging times. Even last week, as we set our plans to navigate forward, we did so with trust in our ability to be resilient, and in knowing that our preparation was expertly guided by our past experiences. Since then, we have continued to adapt to the evolving crisis.
Effective Friday, March 20, all Tulane athletic facilities will be locked down completely. While all but essential personnel have been encouraged to work from home, moving forward ALL coaches and staff will work from home until further notice. The only exception will be continuing access to the Hertz Center training room on an appointment basis only for student-athletes.
Student-athletes continue to have the option to remain on campus or in their off-campus housing, but we are strongly encouraging all student-athletes to return home. At the same time, we recognize that each student-athlete and their family will determine the safest and best place to live.
The NCAA is addressing many questions about academics, eligibility and our sport seasons. I ask everyone to remember the NCAA offices are also closed, with staff working remotely. Further, administrators from member schools working to address this issue are also dealing with their own on-campus circumstances, as well as their own families. Now is a time to appreciate the work that is being done, and the circumstances in which it is being done.
We are working on contingency plans at Tulane for summer and fall. We are anticipating the current crisis adversely impacting summer school and potentially extending into the fall sport seasons. The American Athletic Conference is working hand in hand with Tulane and other conference schools to plan for what may lie ahead. The health and safety of our student-athletes will remain our primary concern.
Our external communications staff is working hard to create media content that celebrates our seniors and that will deliver highlights and past game broadcasts to the Tulane Community. Our development staff is reaching out to the nearly 3,000 members of the Green Wave Club to communicate our plans and actions, to learn how we can have a positive impact on your lives as you isolate yourself and your families, and to offer whatever assistance we can to those who are always there for us.
Internally, we have instituted Monday and Thursday conference calls for all coaches and staff. Coaches are in contact with student-athletes on a daily basis and will be using video conferencing services to have on-going team meetings. Each department within athletics will also be having video conference calls on a regular basis. It's business—but not business as usual—inside the athletic department, albeit remotely.
Student-athletes begin their online classes on Monday, March 23. Our staff will be supporting their remote education with advising, tutoring and mental health services available by phone and/or through videoconferencing. Our strength staff has developed individual workout plans for each student-athlete, taking into consideration not all student-athletes have access to weight equipment.
I cannot express enough admiration for how our student-athletes have handled the disruption to their experience. I look forward to their leadership long into our future. I also have great appreciation and admiration for our coaches and staff who continue to "find a way" to empower the success of our student-athletes.
To everyone else in the Tulane community, thanks for your support in recent days. We wish you the best of health and safety as we all face the uncertain times in front of us.
Troy Dannen
Director of Athletics
Like I am sure for many of you, this past week has felt like a month. I hope that you and your families are healthy and safe. For those of us in the Tulane Green Wave Athletics Department, we are focused on our families at home and our family of student-athletes and coaches now spread across the country and those here in New Orleans.
In times of crisis during our lifetime, we have often been challenged to hurry back to "living our lives as normal as possible" and for many of us, we are used to sports leading the way back in America. Just one week ago, it was sports leading the way as the nation began living our lives in a most abnormal way—in isolation. Our new normal is challenging, frightening and uncertain. Our new normal, however, will help chart a path for all of us out of the current crisis.
Tulanians show a remarkable resiliency through challenging times. Even last week, as we set our plans to navigate forward, we did so with trust in our ability to be resilient, and in knowing that our preparation was expertly guided by our past experiences. Since then, we have continued to adapt to the evolving crisis.
Effective Friday, March 20, all Tulane athletic facilities will be locked down completely. While all but essential personnel have been encouraged to work from home, moving forward ALL coaches and staff will work from home until further notice. The only exception will be continuing access to the Hertz Center training room on an appointment basis only for student-athletes.
Student-athletes continue to have the option to remain on campus or in their off-campus housing, but we are strongly encouraging all student-athletes to return home. At the same time, we recognize that each student-athlete and their family will determine the safest and best place to live.
The NCAA is addressing many questions about academics, eligibility and our sport seasons. I ask everyone to remember the NCAA offices are also closed, with staff working remotely. Further, administrators from member schools working to address this issue are also dealing with their own on-campus circumstances, as well as their own families. Now is a time to appreciate the work that is being done, and the circumstances in which it is being done.
We are working on contingency plans at Tulane for summer and fall. We are anticipating the current crisis adversely impacting summer school and potentially extending into the fall sport seasons. The American Athletic Conference is working hand in hand with Tulane and other conference schools to plan for what may lie ahead. The health and safety of our student-athletes will remain our primary concern.
Our external communications staff is working hard to create media content that celebrates our seniors and that will deliver highlights and past game broadcasts to the Tulane Community. Our development staff is reaching out to the nearly 3,000 members of the Green Wave Club to communicate our plans and actions, to learn how we can have a positive impact on your lives as you isolate yourself and your families, and to offer whatever assistance we can to those who are always there for us.
Internally, we have instituted Monday and Thursday conference calls for all coaches and staff. Coaches are in contact with student-athletes on a daily basis and will be using video conferencing services to have on-going team meetings. Each department within athletics will also be having video conference calls on a regular basis. It's business—but not business as usual—inside the athletic department, albeit remotely.
Student-athletes begin their online classes on Monday, March 23. Our staff will be supporting their remote education with advising, tutoring and mental health services available by phone and/or through videoconferencing. Our strength staff has developed individual workout plans for each student-athlete, taking into consideration not all student-athletes have access to weight equipment.
I cannot express enough admiration for how our student-athletes have handled the disruption to their experience. I look forward to their leadership long into our future. I also have great appreciation and admiration for our coaches and staff who continue to "find a way" to empower the success of our student-athletes.
To everyone else in the Tulane community, thanks for your support in recent days. We wish you the best of health and safety as we all face the uncertain times in front of us.
Troy Dannen
Director of Athletics
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 01
Monday, April 13
Thursday, April 09
