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OVU coach reflects: Porter misses baseball, relishes time with family

Photo by Jay W. Bennett Ohio Valley University baseball coach Chad Porter looks on during a college baseball game last season in City Park.

VIENNA — Ohio Valley University head baseball coach and senior associate athletic director Chad Porter is trying to make the most of his down time.

“You can only do what you can do right now,” Porter said. “Enjoying some time with family I normally wouldn’t have this time of year.”

Since OVU’s season as well as the rest of the collegiate athletic landscape is over, Porter can’t help but to reflect.

“The coaches and the kids, the kids most importantly, put so much work into it and they are not able to finish the season, but that’s part of the deal.”

Thanks to the NCAA, a year of eligibility has been extended to student-athletes.

“A couple weeks ago NCAA Division 2 came out and said we’ll give the year back,” Porter said. “There are some grey areas the NCAA is working through.

“It looks like right now three of the four seniors will be back. We are excited about that and all of our younger guys will get the year back. That’s all good.”

Last month when the news broke is a day Porter will remember forever.

“We went to practice and had a really good workout,” he said.

“I think the kids sensed something was up. My phone was blowing up the entire practice. I don’t like to be on my phone. I like to put it away. I had other coaches trying to figure out what was going on.

“Practice gets over and the NCAA makes the announcement all spring championships are canceled. They are basically going to give the year back to the underclassmen and they call it a blanket waiver, an extension for eligibility. We have one player who is out of semesters, but he will get two back and be able to save his season.”

The Fighting Scots had three victories in their first 13 games, which included a 7-5 triumph versus Glenville State.

“The seniors were pretty torn up and some of the guys were devastated,” Porter continued. “When you put all the work the guys have put in, it’s a drastic change to practicing on a beautiful afternoon at City Park on a Thursday and then the next day it’s canceled.

“OVU was supposed to resume classes on March 30, so a lot of the guys hung around. The guys who could go home went home. We have Texas guys, Michigan guys, guys from Puerto Rico hung out to see what would happen. The school did a great job providing food and letting them stay in the dorms.”

Despite not having classes in a physical building or baseball to play, the coaching staff is still communicating with the players.

“Most of the kids are home and they are doing well,” added the skipper. “We try to stay in touch with them daily or every other day with mass texts and emails. Coaching staff-wise we try to engage with a handful of guys every day just to try and check in with them.

“For the most part, our communication with the guys have been good, certainly not perfect but we are keeping in touch with them and let them know to be safe, get your academics taken care of, work out as much as you can and we’re going to come back stronger from this.”

Coach Porter wants to get back on the field just as bad as the players do, but he understands it’s best to err on the side of caution.

“Their sole priority in life is the safety of themselves and their family,” he said.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

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