Dear Redhawks,
I hope this note finds you at home, healthy and safe.
Two weeks ago, Seattle U student athletes were focused intently on competition. Our men's and women's basketball teams were set to compete in Las Vegas- the women's team had already earned a first-round victory against Utah Valley in the WAC Tournament. Five competitors from swimming were competing in Ohio at the National Invitational Championships. Track, golf, tennis, and rowing were in the heart of their seasons. Baseball and softball were ready for conference play. After an exciting fall with both men's and women's soccer winning conference regular season and tournament championships and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, there was a feeling of momentum, of hope and promise.
And then their seasons came to an end. Abruptly.
While devastated by the news that winter and spring sports have been halted, along with countless other cancellations in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, these tremendous young men and women have demonstrated the grace and poise you would expect of Redhawk student athletes. They shed tears, expressed frustration, and leaned on each other and their stalwart coaches. While there is no doubt the disappointment lingers, they refocused to complete finals for classes moved to distance learning and returned to their homes or other safe locations to wait out the pandemic.
Coaches, dealing with their dashed hopes after investing countless hours in their teams, continued as pillars of support, checking with each student to ensure they would be able to focus on finals, find a safe way home, and be supported with necessary resources.
While the entire athletics team works remotely, mastering the art of a Zoom meeting, reacting to an ever-changing set of guidelines and directives from the county, the Governor's office, and the NCAA, the goal remains the same, to support our student athletes' drive for excellence.
As we navigate this changing landscape it has become incredibly evident how blessed we are to be part of a community driven by clear values and a purpose-driven mission. Our value of CARE, and putting the good of students first, has served as our North Star. It has been said, "The secret to success is constancy of purpose." Today, as students without a brick and mortar classroom, as athletes without a playing field, as community members isolated from neighbors, our purpose and Jesuit commitment to caring for the whole person and empowering leaders for a just and humane world, remains crystal clear and drives every decision.
Our academic support team will ensure students are prepared for remote instruction for the upcoming spring quarter, so they can continue to reap the benefits of an academically rigorous Jesuit education. Our strength and conditioning coaches are creating videos and adjusting workouts for training at home without regular equipment. The athletic trainers continue to connect regularly to provide rehabilitation support and mental health checks. We remain committed to our community partnerships and are exploring ways to continue that engagement, even if remotely.
As a supporter of Redhawk Athletics, you are integral to our ability to carry out our mission. Your continued support is as important today as it is when we are in the depths of the competitive season. You can be sure that your support of Seattle U Athletics has created a front line of alumni who serve as doctors, nurses, scientists, and countless others who are working diligently to end this pandemic. Each of these alumni arrives at work each day, empowered by the lessons they learned through their experience as Redhawk student-athletes.
While our focus now is on the health and safety of members of our community, we want you to know that we are thinking of you, praying for your health and safety and that we are looking forward to the day when we can return to competition as a celebration of the Redhawk community.
Go Redhawks!
Shaney Fink
Director of Athletics