Switchbacks keeping busy while in quarantine

The Switchbacks were supposed to play their home opener on March 14th. That never happened. Just like the rest of us, they're in wait and see mode.

The season began with a thrilling 2-1 win over Oklahoma City. That game was played on March 7th. A month later, all sports leagues are still suspended, and the Switchbacks players have no idea when things will return to normal.

"It's really tough. It's a mental battle," says midfielder Aidan Daniels. "At the end of the day, we're professionals, so we have to stay fit no matter what. We have to stay disciplined. We've got to be mentally engaged just for when the season restarts. It may start next week. It could start in five months. We've just got to be ready for that point."

"It's defintely not easy," says midfielder Mamadi Camara. "At the same time I feel like we've all had challenges in our lives and different adversities in our football careers, speaking for me and my teammates. This is just one of many that we're going to have to face."

The players have to stay in shape and their workout regiments are as important as ever.

"Since we've been in quarantine, we've been doing these team workouts," says forward Luke Ferreira. "[We've been] going for runs, and doing in-home workouts, cardio and stuff like that. With hese workouts, they are made to push you. It's made to test your endurance and your stamina."

"It's just staying mentally engaged and pushing yourself, even though it's difficult to find motivation when you know there's really no training or games coming soon," Daniels says.

Like many of us, the players are just trying to find ways to pass the time. They play video games, they watch Netflix, they cook and they workout.

This is not an ideal situation, but the players are making the best of it.

"People are sick. People are losing their lives. It's just more important to stay indoors and to think about safety more than just going out and playing some soccer," Ferreira says.

Camara has a positive outlook. "We're going to play soccer again at some point. We just have to keep faith in the system and in our health advisers so that we can contain this pandemic and go back to our normal lives."