Maricopa Community Colleges allow fans back into athletic events
This becomes the first time fans will be permitted back into athletic facilities since spring season started on Feb. 13.
Per district policy, all spectators will be required to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.
“The safety of our community, faculty, staff, and students remains our highest priority,” the district’s statement said.
Mesa Community College athletic director John Mulhern said that having fans back at stadiums is great, but it can only do well if everyone does their part.
“The key as long as they just follow the posted rules, face coverings, social distancing. Just basically just follow the rules,” said Mulhern. “We can navigate through this and successfully accomplish it. And then, sooner than later we’d like this whole thing behind us so we can go back full force and start living again.”
All district colleges will have their own physical layout of the facilities and varying levels of spectator access.
Changes at MCC facilities include blue X’s on the bleacher seats for spacing purposes, as well as chairs that fans can utilize along both sides of the fields and courts.
Feroz Rast, head coach of MCC’s men’s and women’s tennis teams, said that having fans back and getting support from the school community has been amazing for his team.
“Allowing us to have fans again, it makes a huge difference,” said Rast. “We want as many people supporting us. These kids feed off that energy. We need it. We need Thunderbird Nation to be out there supporting us, because we want that playoff feeling, and these kids deserve it. ”
Having fans back at games is not only exciting for faculty and student athletes, but gives a return to normalcy in the pandemic.
“We felt that it was a good time to allow athletics this opportunity, and we took advantage of it,” said Mulhern. “You can feel the difference, from the coaches, student athletes and the parents. It’s just what we need to start getting back to real life.”
