Every other season making a bowl game is celebrated. The opportunity for extra practices and further development (especially for young guys), getting to travel with your teammates and coaching staff and play in a unique game environment, bowl gifts, and coaching bonuses are all reasons why bowl games are nearly universally loved during a typical season.
But as we're all well aware, thanks to COVID-19, 2020 has been anything but typical.
That became even more apparent today when Jeff Hafley's Boston College squad made the unprecedented decision to sit out of bowl season earlier today. They end Hafley's first year at 6-5.
Athletic director Pat Kraft shared the following in the school's release:
"Our student-athletes have sacrificed so much since June to even make this season possible for BC and our fans and now it is time for them to focus on finishing up the semester strong and going home to spend time with their families and loved ones."
Hafley shared many of the same sentiments.
"I can't thank our players enough for the sacrifice and commitment they showed to each other, to our team and to our community," Hafley said. "I am so proud to be their coach and I am thankful they now have the opportunity to go home for the first time since June to see their families. The young men in our program and our coaches and staff have been through an incredible six months and the restrictions placed on our student-athletes along with their adherence to strict COVID-19 policies and protocols took a mental and physical toll on them."
“People may not fully understand just how grueling this season was and our team needs and deserves an extended break to help recharge their minds and bodies."
Many folks around the country are applauding Hafley and Kraft in their decision to stand behind their athletes tough decision, and I couldn't agree more.
It would be easy for Hafley to press onward, knowing how valuable it would be to get some extra practices in considering they didn't get to have a traditional spring and summer approach. But nothing can truly measure the impact that standing behind your athletes in a time like this can have.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.