BUTLER TWP — The National Junior College Athletic Association on Monday released a statement that detailed plans to move fall sports to the spring semester.

The first practice and play dates for winter sports will also be affected.

NJCAA includes six sports teams at Butler County Community College.

Instead of looking at the decision as yet another consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, BC3 athletic director and volleyball coach Rob Snyder is taking an optimistic approach.

“I wouldn't have been surprised if they had canceled all sports for the entire year,” said Snyder, whose volleyball squad normally begins practice in August. The start date is now Jan. 11. “What this does is it gives us a few more months of hope that this (battle with coronavirus) can turn around.”

The Pioneer men's and women's basketball teams will also be delayed and will wait until January to convene.

“As an athletic director, I'm just hoping that the opportunity to play will be provided to everyone,” said Snyder.

That was the focus of Monday's statement. Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President and CEO, was quoted as saying: “Our most recent plan of action provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place.”

The length of each team's schedule will most likely be reduced.

“We normally play 18 or 19 games in the regular season,” Snyder said of his volleyball team. “But a lot of those games come against the Penn State (branch campus) schools and we're not sure what their plans are.”

Both the volleyball and basketball seasons will extend into April and will overlap with the beginning of the baseball, softball and golf seasons.

“Last year, we had five dual-sport athletes here at BC3,” said Snyder. “A lot of them don't come here planning to play two sports, but are urged to join a second team.

“That is a concern,” he added of the overlapping seasons. “But it's hard for us to know that right now because none of our teams has a complete roster.”

There is another issue that will present itself come March and April — the use of BC3's field house. The volleyball and basketball teams will be finishing up their seasons while the baseball and softball teams will need it for preseason workouts.

“Use of the gym will be complicated,” said BC3 softball coach Dan Beebe. “But we're not going to be playing any games until April, with two weeks being added at the end of the season. That could benefit us (with warmer weather).”

As Snyder mentioned, rosters are incomplete and will remain so for a while.

“I have two returning players from last year and seven others who are coming here and planning on playing volleyball,” he said. “There are two types of recruiting, internal and external.

“Internal recruiting is when you look at students already here. External recruiting is when you go out and see if kids would be interested in coming to school here and joining your team. We were told not to go out and meet kids in person, so there were some opportunities lost there.”

Snyder said there will be a protocol in place regarding the use of all facilities and athletic equipment.

“We belong to Region XX and they have a health and safety committee. We're part of that,” he said. “They've come up with requirements when it comes to social distancing, cleanliness ... it's pretty extensive.”

Beebe has eight returning players and four incoming freshmen who he said will be playing softball. But he is keeping his fingers crossed.

“Nobody has any idea if the spring season will be any different than what is going on right now,” he said. “We just have to be prepared and hope for the best.”