South Carolina Head Coach Frank Martin revealed why he will not train on Saturday night, when the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-0) face LSU on the road. The nine-year-old head coach at Columbia is on the COVID-19 health and safety protocol and away from his team because his test was positive a second time. He received his positive test on January 7.
Martin first tested positive for COVID-19 in early May 2020, citing then that his symptoms were minor. However, it goes around, “this thing kicked my tail.”
“It’s a shame that I went through this whole episode again,” said Martin at Zoom on Friday morning. “I’m feeling fine now, but this thing kicked my ass this time. I’m still congested, but I feel physically good now. I’m just waiting to get out of isolation and do all the medical tests that come with the side effects. It is really frustrating. “
Martin felt he needed to be transparent about what he is dealing with a second time.
“The first time, he didn’t kick my ass like he kicked my ass,” said Martin. “As everyone continues to understand how this virus operates, I think it is important for us to understand that I am sitting here and have dealt with it on two different occasions. We all have to be extremely careful. I am not here to defend what others should do, but I know that my mother just received her first vaccine (injection) and I couldn’t be happier. I wouldn’t want her, or anyone dear to me, to deal with this virus the way it kicked my ass this time. “
The Gamecocks have been leaving their third period of activity for the paused team since the beginning of December, after a road competition against Houston on December 5th. During that time, three games were canceled and four postponed (three being SEC competitions against Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee).
“Many teams had most of their players tested positive in August and September,” said Martin. “We had a positive test and it was considered a false positive in September. We conducted our business so well and the service was so good. Unfortunately we made that trip to Houston and went into our locker room. You have no idea how this virus spreads now. There is a lot of theory.
“When it entered our locker room, it was impossible to contain it. It is not as if once one person caught it, everyone was quarantined and we are ready to go. it succeeds and everyone is quarantined again, anyone outside the 150-day window, if they have one. I just read Villanova practiced yesterday for the first time since December 23rd.
The tip against the Tigers (9-2, 4-1) will be at 8:30 pm on the SEC Network. Assistant coach Bruce Shingler is the team’s interim head coach, with Martin away from the pitch. Assistant coach Chuck Martin and Doug Edwards, who takes care of the student-athlete development of the team, will not be present in Baton Rouge on Saturday, as it is also in the health and safety protocol COVID-19. Assistant coach Will Bailey, video coordinator Brian Steeleand special assistant to the head coach John Reynolds will be next to Shingler’s court.
“I’m excited for Bruce, our players and our team will have the opportunity to go and play,” said Martin. “I will be disappointed not to be there with the guys, but at the same time I am extremely confident in our players and in the leadership of Bruce and Will (Bailey). That’s why I hired guys like Brian Steele and John Reynolds, guys who were on the floor as coaches. Now, his skills as coaches will be revealed and will continue to support Bruce as he managed this week. “