The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the sports landscape, perhaps forever.
However, some of the county’s young high school coaches insist these unprecedented times of masks, distancing and no tangible solution haven’t lessened the passion they have for what they do or, worse, made them rethink their career choice.
Nate Cangany, Tyler DeSpain, Kevin Stuckmeyer and Blaine Williams are all between 28 and 37 years old, each with a spouse and two children at home.
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Cangany and his wife, Emily, both grew up in a hoops family. The couple, parents to boys, Conner, 5, and Tucker, 3, don’t see their run of gymnasium time ending anytime soon.
Nate Cangany’s father-in-law, Terry Grant, and brother-in-law, Brad Grant, are of his assistant coaches.
“Don’t get me wrong. (The pandemic) has definitely made us adjust,” the 31-year-old Cangany said. “But I don’t think it really changes the thought of this being what I want to do. Now, if it’s every year for the next five or 10 years …
“The advice I got when I was a very young assistant coach is that you can’t do this without having a real coach’s wife. For us, it really doesn’t change much because we can do things as a family.
Edinburgh football coach DeSpain, 28, and Center Grove girls basketball coach Stuckmeyer, 37, have centered thoughts around their respective families during the past six months. In March, the pandemic immediately canceled the remainder of some winter sports activities and spring sports altogether.
DeSpain has in mind a time when he might consider getting out of coaching, though it has more to do with parental priorities than the pandemic.
“Honestly, my wife (Megan) and I have discussed it,” said DeSpain, 28, the father of 3-year-old daughter Reese and son Xander, 1. “I told her that once our daughter gets to middle school, that’s probably when I would step down.
“Edinburgh is a big thing for me. I went here 11 years (before graduating from Southwestern in 2010), so my wife trusts our coaches and their families and knows the protocols we go through.”
Stuckmeyer, who’ll soon start his fourth season in charge at Center Grove, has a daughter (Kenzie, 4) and son (Nick, 1) with his wife, Brittany. He prefers to put a positive spin on current events, focusing on how it’s allowed him more time with loved ones since the spring.
“I think everyone has had the chance to reflect on things in their life,” Stuckmeyer said. “This does make you question what high school sports will look like if it continues. But I haven’t necessarily changed my goals at this point. It has allowed you to appreciate all the things in your life.”
In previous years, Blaine Williams would be preparing his Greenwood girls and boys cross country teams for the season. He relinquished those duties following the 2019 season, though he will still preside over the Woodmen track and field teams.
“I haven’t had to cross that bridge yet. We barely got track started in the spring and then had to shut it down,” said Williams, 36. “I really feel for these fall coaches because no one has ever done this before. I’m just hopeful we can stay in school and have a fall sports season, especially for the seniors.”
