Photo Courtesy UTRGV Athletics
Karina Rodriguez | THE RIDER
The UTRGV Men’s Golf Team will be competing this Saturday at the H-E-B Tournament of Champions in Corpus Christi after a tournament last Tuesday at LaTour Intercollegiate in Louisiana.
UTRGV Men’s Golf Team Head Coach Joseph Tate said he is excited to return to competition.
“[I am] excited. It’s about time,” Tate said. “It’s been a long-awaited return, and we’re all ready to get back out there and prove that you can travel [safely] and compete safely and return to some normal athletic activity.”
He said COVID-19 brought change to protocols.
“I think just adjusting to getting your temperature checks every day and adjusting to wearing masks, then adjusting to the protocols [like] cleaning your hands,” Tate said. “We’re outdoors. So, I think once we get outside, we’re pretty good. But the weight room stuff, and just general life, is still an adjustment.”
Tate encourages players to appreciate their time as student athletes.
“Enjoy it,” he said. “I think this puts things into perspective quite a bit. [It shows] that you don’t have forever to do this. You don’t have all the time in the world, and sometimes things get interrupted. And so, I’m just trying to explain to them to really enjoy the moment.”
UTRGV redshirt freshman Andres Cortez said the team is lucky to play this season.
“I’m super excited,” said Cortez. “The atmosphere within the team is just buzzing. We couldn’t be happier. But, like any other team out there, every tournament could eventually be our last. So, we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re lucky enough to have a season, so we’re just taking it day by day but [still] super excited.”
He said the team’s unity allows them to navigate the pandemic.
“I think having our team as close as we are with each other [has helped],” Cortez said.
Tate believes it is a privilege to compete during the pandemic.
“Well, I hope that they enjoy the return to competition,” he said. “I think that we’re very fortunate to do so. I know that not everybody and everything is back to normal yet. … So really, I just hope that my guys enjoy the fact that they get to do what they love, and they get to go out on the golf course and compete.”
