HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Faced with the daily realities of managing COVID-19 in his role as Alabama A&M Director of Athletics, Bryan Hicks was among a group of luminaries that took part in the Birmingham City Council's panel on Sports and COVID-19 on Thursday, January 7, an event that was broadcast live through the organizations Facebook page.
 
Since March of 2020 when COVID-19 forced the unprecedented cancellation or months-long postponement of all college and professional sports, the sports world has been dramatically impacted not only by the initial shock of losses stemming from those actions but also how to move forward safely with a return to play.
 
Addressing those issues along with Hicks were Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland and Dr. David Hicks of the Jefferson County (Birmingham, Ala.) Department of Health.
 
A veteran of more than 25 years in college athletics, with the past 24 of those coming at the Division I level with Alabama A&M, Missouri State and Louisville, Bryan Hicks spoke on how the ongoing pandemic has impacted all facets of Bulldog Athletics.
 
"With all of our sports being postponed during the fall semester we've been impacted in different ways, including the obvious financial ramifications but also with our student-athletes mental aspect of not competing in the sports they love and have dedicated themselves to. The lack of team gatherings, meetings and the ability to build a team dynamic has been something a number of schools around the country have dealt with, including us."
 
Additionally, McClelland addressed the affect of the pandemic on the SWAC community and ways that the league is attempting to mitigate the spread of the disease while returning to play and Dr. Hicks spoke on the latest developments with COVID-19 and the impact on the overall sports world.
 
As institutions across the country and around the world work to develop best practices for a return to play, Bryan Hicks summed up Alabama A&M's guiding principles as he and the Department strive to be leaders during one of the most difficult times in the history of college athletics.
 
"First and foremost our primary concern is for the health and safety of our student-athletes. These individuals have chosen to be Bulldogs and their families have entrusted them to us. We have a responsibility to always do what is in their best interest. To that end, we have developed plans and procedures based off of CDC [Centers for Disease Control] best practices and input from our local health officials in Alabama concerning COVID-19 and will continue to implement them to ensure as safe of a season as is possible."
 
ABOUT ALABAMA A&M DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS BRYAN HICKS
Hicks has spent his professional career serving in college athletics at Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference member Louisville (1996-2009), Missouri State (2009-12) and his Alma Mater Alabama A&M (2012-Present). He holds a Bachelors in Marketing from A&M (1992) as well as a Masters in Public Administration from Portland State (1996) and has been a driving force in elevating Bulldog Athletics in his nine years at the helm of the Department.