Ice to see you: The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are coming back
Avery McGrail, News Editor
Unsplash.com
Everything was business as usual. But then, the world stood still.
March 2020 marked the beginning of a mass-shutdown and mass-quarantine that brought businesses and events around the world to a screeching, unforgiving halt. Colleges were transplanted, employees were put on house-arrest and sports, the ultimate distraction in an age filled cynicism and chaos, practically disappeared without a trace.
Since that time, the world has slowly reawakened. Despite the coronavirus’s still-tangible presence, especially in the United States, the strong desire to return to normal pervades throughout society. Businesses and education have returned as determined as ever. The same can be said for the sporting world. Baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer have all found ways to return, at least on a national scale. Now, local sports are looking to take that next step as well.
For the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, a member of the minor hockey ECHL league, it has been a long summer. The team last played on March 8, over 60 games into their 2019-20 campaign. Six months later, the plan is falling into place.
On Friday Oct. 9, the ECHL announced their intentions for beginning the 2020-21 season. Thirteen of the league’s 26 teams, including the Swamp Rabbits, will begin play on December 11, two months after the season would normally begin.
This announcement was months in the making. First, the ECHL watched what other sports leagues were doing. Baseball and European soccer returned in the early summer, with no fans in the stands. The NHL and the NBA chose to use a bubble format, putting all their teams in isolation in one or two locations to avoid infection. The NFL began its season in September, with much more lax guidelines on team exposure and fan authorization into the stands. They are now struggling through outbreaks because of it.
Then, the league began to formulate their own plan. There are ECHL teams across North America, and the variety of locations have each encountered and are dealing with COVID-19 in different ways. As such, the ECHL decided to not ignore this fluctuation but embrace it.
Therefore, the Swamp Rabbits and the league will be stepping into unfamiliar territory. Half of the teams will play 72 games, the other half 62. One team, the nearby Atlanta Gladiators, ceased operations altogether for the year. Different teams will allow different amounts of fans, some may not allow any at all. But through long talks with both American and Canadian health officials, the ECHL feels it is ready for action.
Jordan Kuhns, Director of Media Relations and the broadcasting voice for the Swamp Rabbits, defends his resolute optimism in an uncertain chapter. “We are working really hard to make sure our return to hockey is safe for the teams and the fans,” he said. “It’s been too long since we’ve gotten to drop the puck. I’m so glad we’re only a couple of months away from it now!”
Despite the world’s quick transition back to the standard, 2020 has still been an incredibly unique experience that is likely to continue for the time being. But Greenville will continue to rebuild, and the Swamp Rabbits are ready to do their part. It’s time to lay down the ice and look forward to what’s ahead.
