After 48 great years of services and an excellent résumé, Coach Bill Neal retired from Richland Campus Dallas College last spring. Now it appears Richland wrestling has hit the mat for the last time as well.

Coach Guy Simmons, the campus athletic director, said the wrestling program will not be returning to the campus.

During Neal’s stretch, the program came close to closing before Neal retired but he came back to help the program.

“The wrestling team was a club, so it wasn’t run by the NJCAA because, before the wrestling club was founded, Coach Neal was a faculty member for what was Richland College,” Simmons said.

Although COVID-19 played a major role in canceling historical events, programs and traditions, Simmons believes COVID-19 did not affect Neal’s decision to retire.

“COVID-19 did not affect Coach Neal’s plan of retiring. He’s had an amazing 48 years and was just ready to hang [it] up before the virus was out,” he said.

Both wrestling and Neal will leave a mark on Richland Campus sports that will never be forgotten. After historical achievements by the Richland wrestling club, there are a few other sport programs ready to write their names in the history books as well.

“So far, all the sports are returning, some sooner than others but they will be returning,” Simmons said While not all sports have returned to the schedule, baseball will begin on Jan. 27 and soccer will begin in March. The good news, sadly, comes with bad news. Fans will not be allowed to attend.

“Right now, they will be no fans or students at the stadiums and gyms but that [could] change throughout the process,” Simmons said.

On an optimistic note, there have not been any positive cases reported during training and practice. The teams are playing it safe. Simmons explained the reporting process.

“If someone were to test positive you will go to DCCCD.edu to go to eConnect and go through the COVID protocol to answer a few questions and that sports cannot practice for 14 days,” Simmons said.

While the NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL handled their COVID-19 safety protocol using their respective methods, Simmons said the college did not have the same level of resources.

“Those organizations are able to test every day and check whenever they want to. We don’t so we have to be extra cautious and careful to keep our players safe,” he said.

Throughout this year it has been a tough road for athletes and difficult year to get things done, but Simmons has not let the negatives cause him to lose sight of the positives.

“I’ve enjoyed meeting new people with the Dallas County Community College District and working on the tough task of bringing sports and helping kids not only have fun but most of all be safe,” he said.