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By Nicholas Barker
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – First it was the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Coyotes. Now, just as sports were beginning to start up again, players on the Phoenix Rising and Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team have tested positive for COVID-19.
Phoenix Rising FC General Manager Bobby Dulle announced Wednesday that four players on the team tested positive for COVID-19. GCU announced that four athletes tested positive, along with two staff members.
Players and staff for both teams were not immediately named, but all who have tested positive are self-isolating.
“The good news is those players are asymptomatic, they are feeling well and are under the care and guidance of our team physicians at Mayo Clinic,” Dulle said. “We have quarantined those who have tested positive and implemented our procedures for those that were in close contact.”
GCU announced that all 16 players on the team are in quarantine, and the two staff members that have tested positive will not return to the practice facilities for at least two weeks.
The Phoenix Suns announced that two players have also tested positive for COVID-19, leading the team to temporarily stop all voluntary workouts. The Arizona Coyotes also have received one positive case in the last month. The NHL is set to return to workouts on July 10, and the NBA is set to play the remainder of the season in Orlando starting July 30.
The United Soccer League allowed full training sessions with full contact to start on Wednesday, but Rising staff believed it was best to cancel Wednesday’s practice and have the first full training day on Thursday.
“This was just an extra step that we decided as an organization that we felt was very important,” Dulle said.
Players across the USL are expected to follow strict social distancing guidelines and will be subject to testing on a weekly basis. Rising coach Rick Schantz says it will be up to the players to stay healthy.
“It’s their responsibility to stay negative,” he said. “These guys take care of their bodies better than anyone. I find myself being more of a father figure and telling the guys that you’re playing with our health and playing with our team’s success if you’re going to put us at risk. I’ve been so impressed by the leadership of the team.”
The Rising coaching staff wanted to implement smaller team training earlier than other clubs in the USL because of players already being in close contact with each other.
“Our players share housing, so that is something to think about,” Dulle said. “It’s one of the reasons we went to small group training a little bit earlier than other teams because our players reside together.
The United Soccer League has a planned start date of July 11, and men’s college basketball still has about five months until non-conference play starts. As COVID-19 cases continue to see a rise in Arizona, players for all leagues across the state will face more testing than ever before to ensure that it is safe enough for teams to travel and play games.
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