NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – Sherri Coale, head coach of the University of Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team, spoke on the NCAA’s decision to close off tournament attendance to essential staff and limited family as a coronavirus precaution.
“I don’t know how I feel about it. I think it will be extremely odd, obviously, for the players who are competing. It’s a really strange situation,” Coale said. “I’m still just trying to wrap my head around it.”
When asked about players not having crowd energy to feed off of, Coale said that teams with strong leadership and confidence would thrive.
“It may be the team that’s the least self-inhibited, that has the most confidence that’s able to generate the most energy,” Coale said.
Athletes are being advised to take precautions to protect themselves from coronavirus.
“Take the precautions that you can, and maybe don’t panic is the best advice I can give them. Just take the precautions that you can, do what you can, take care of yourselves as athletes – that’s what we try to do anyway. Eat right, sleep right, take care of yourselves, and that’s the best defense,” she said.
You can hear Coale’s full remarks in the above video.
