In mid-March, operations around McKale Center came to a halt. Seasons were canceled, classes were moved from in-person to online and student-athletes were encouraged to leave campus and return to their hometowns in the face of a global pandemic.
 
In the next six months, every Arizona Athletics employee answered the call-to-action, navigating uncertain times to do whatever necessary to serve the student-athletes and prepare for a safe and healthy return to campus and, eventually, competition.
 
There was the immediate challenge of continuing to support student-athletes, keeping them healthy and doing everything possible to continue to provide the support they would be receiving if they were still on campus.   
 
Simultaneously, an incredibly detailed re-entry plan had to be built. The challenge: returning 500 student-athletes to campus and re-integrating them into training and practice regimens while taking every precaution possible to make sure every student-athlete and coach was as safe as possible.
 
The re-entry planning process was thorough, organized into three phases, with specific operational domains coordinated with each phase. The plan was built, and the re-entry process was initialized.
 
Many areas in the athletic department have gone well above and beyond their normal job duties in the last six months. Many individuals and departments have overcome unprecedented levels of adversity and moved forward admirably in uncertain times. In this Powering the Return series, we will highlight the work of four departments that have been some of the most influential to our re-entry process; four departments that have gone well above the call of duty.
 
I. Strength Coaches & Nutrition
II. Medical Trainers (Oct. 20)
III. Mental Health (Oct. 27)
IV. Facilities (Nov. 2)
V. C.A.T.S. Academics (Nov. 9)
 


It's no secret that the medical staff at Arizona Athletics has been put to the test physically and mentally over the past seven months.

Much like the rest of the athletic trainers, Associate Director of Medical Services Justin Kokoskie's days are an absolute grind.

"I set my alarm for 3:45 to come down to McKale for testing," Kokoskie said. "We do testing early in the morning and take the tests over to the lab to make sure we have enough time to get the test results for practice. On top of that, we still have to handle our day-to-day athletic training duties to get the teams ready for practice and treat injuries. It makes for a long day."

Despite the grueling days, Kokoskie and the rest of the medical staff know that they need to keep pushing forward and try to keep everything in perspective.
 
"What we are going through is very challenging, but it's challenging for everyone," Kokoskie said. "It has been tough on college athletics and in sports in general, but everyone in the world is going through this, so I try to keep that perspective. It's a tough time for everyone in the community, and we're trying to get through it like everyone else."

When the world stopped in mid-March C.A.T.S. Medical Services went right to work under the guidance and leadership of University President Dr. Robert C. Robbins. A former heart surgeon and president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center, Robbins began to devise a plan with the goal of safe re-entry.

Now that we are in October, we are seeing the fruitions of the University's plan alongside Arizona Athletics' re-entry plan.

"It starts at the top, and the first person that comes to mind is Dr. Robbins," Kokoskie said. "How could we be in a better situation at the University of Arizona to have our president be a former surgeon? We are leading the country in cutting edge ideas with what we're doing on campus and in athletics, so I give him a lot of credit for leading the way. He talked a big game from the beginning and has backed it up, and I'm proud to be affiliated with that. When this started, I thought 'if anyone is going to pull this off, it's going to be the University of Arizona.'"

Kokoskie also credits Dr. Stephen Paul and other administrators for their tireless work to bringing student-athletes and staff back to McKale safely.

"Dr. Paul has done a tremendous job for us," Kokoskie said. "He has a great personality to lead us through this, and he has a great way of dealing with people. It has been an honor to work with him.

"From an administration side, Derek van der Merwe has done an unbelievable job and has been a great resource for us. He is a grinder when it comes to the administrative role and being detail oriented. He thinks two or three steps ahead, which I love. And I know if I call him, we will have his support. In regards to re-entry, Erika Barnes has been vital to helping me work with the coaches. This is very new and challenging for the coaches, but we have a great group and they understand what it takes for us to get through this."

Now that teams are back on campus training for the upcoming seasons, the training staff has shifted their focus from re-entry to practicing and competing in a safe environment while preparing for a season full of travel.

"Krystal Swindlehurst from Human Resources has been unbelievable," Kokoskie continued. "She is always available and has been great communication wise. She has been a great resource for me and we have worked together on a few projects together. All of this is new and we're trying to piece it together, but I couldn't be more proud of the people that have helped us through this."

Even though that may seem daunting, Kokoskie and the medical staff preaches staying prepared and flexible because of the nature of the virus.

"I can name a ton of things that I'm always thinking about, but as long as we're prepared, flexible and patient, I believe we can make this work," Kokoskie said. "It's hard to have a glass is half full mentality right now, but you have to have that in times like this, because this can beat you down. It has been hard on the student-athletes, it has been hard on the staff and it has been hard on the community. But I think we're doing the best we can to piece this together, and put one foot in front of the other."

All the preparation and time put into re-entry will be put to the test in the month of November as the Pac-12 announced the start of the football season on November 7 and the start of the basketball seasons on November 25, and Kokoskie is "cautiously optimistic" that everything will go to plan.

"If anyone can make this work, it's the University of Arizona with Dr. Robbins leading the way," Kokoskie said. "Every day we are doing what is best health wise for our student-athletes, our staff and the Tucson community, and that is what we need to stay focused on."