When UL Football's spring camp was cancelled only 3 practices in, senior Ferrod Gardner and other leaders brought the team together.
"We had a player led meeting only," Gardner said. "We just talked to each other about staying together and staying fit during this time."
That's the main task of UL strength and conditioning coach Mark Hocke and his staff. What he can usually bring in energy, has to be re-channeled into creativity.
"We had a few different options program wise. A daily lift. A daily run," Hocke explains. "Some of these athletes have in home weight rooms. Some of them don't. So body weight program that they can utilitze or even resistance bands."
Hocke will send to each athlete an example of how to do the designed workout. While some are simple, others take time to warm up to.
"I had to tie my resistance band on top of my door. I had to close my door. I struggled to get it closed because the band kept coming off the door," Gardner jokes. "Once he sends the video of how to do the video, you wanna laugh. But once you start doing it. You start to feel that it's tiring you out and you get the same results."
When it comes to starting the season, Hocke believes teams would need at least a month of training camp before returning to play. But whenever players report, this time in quarantine will show who was working the hardest.
"It's really challenging each individual to really flex and work that self discipline muscle," Hocke said. "I think that's one of the things that separates most people in their given field."
"For some guys that aren't working, and they're taking this time off," Gardner adds. "Once it gets back started, there's no way your body will be able to react. So this is the perfect time to keep pressing on the gas.”