UNR Women’s Club Volleyball to gear up for the 2020–21 season
With season cancelled, the team is moving on to the next season.
Although the 2020 National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) National Championship Tournament was cancelled due to concerns about COVID-19, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Women’s Club Volleyball remains hopeful amidst the gloominess and looks forward to the challenges ahead for the 2020–21 season.
Announcements from NCVF
In light of the ever-changing situation of COVID-19 pandemic, NCVF President Sante Perrelli announced the cancellation in a letter to the students and fans on March 13.
With very deep regret, the decision has been formally made to cancel the 2020 NCVF National Championship Tournament in Kansas City, April 9–11, 2020.
“I had a feeling it would happen,” said Brooke Smith, the president of UNR Women’s Club Volleyball. “It was only a matter of time [until] they finally decided.”
The federation offered administrative supports such as refund details in another announcement, where it said it made no plans to “keep net revenue from entry fees,” and has been collaborating with the game organizers to return it “as much as possible” to the participating teams across the states.
The document assures that all housing reservations would be cancelled with no additional charge. As for travel expenses, while the federation cannot guarantee refunds from travel providers, it recommends that the attendees refer to university or government policies should the fees were not recoverable.
Impacts on UNR Women’s Club Volleyball
Fortunately, the financial impact remains low for the team since they had not booked or paid for any flight ticket by the time the organizer announced the cancellation. Smith pointed out that it would have cost them approximately $300 per person, which could add up to $3,900 in total with all the 13 players on the roster.
For now, their main concerns lie in the money that was paid for registration and accommodation.
As per the president of the club, the team paid $990 for entry and is expecting a full refund by the federation, though the process may take weeks as the total number of teams attending NCVF Recognized League exceeded 500, with men’s and women’s teams combined.
What’s Next?
With all things considered, the club refused to be hindered by the pandemic or give up any hope for the 2020–2021 season that begins in fall. This global crisis made Smith even more determined to lead the team on another adventure, who appears to be assertive and enthusiastic about their plans and goals in preparation for a successful return.
“I would like to start running tantrum plays way earlier in the season, so we can practice them at our league games and be ready by nationals.”
