It’s been a different kind of season for the Robert Blue Middle School 7th grade volleyball team – and all school athletics since the invasion of COVID-19. Normally, this first-year of school athletics team would have had several matches under their belt, but as it is has only seen two matches thus far in their season.
The first match they faced West Hancock. They split the game, going 2-2
In their second match of the season took to their home court on Thursday, Sept. 17 in Homecoming action against Belmond-Klemme and they showed well. The young athletes took three of the four sets. Kendra Schild, was their top server of the night.
“We definitely made much progress from the first game to the second. Kendra went 16/16 on her serves the second game,” said Coach Ashley Flatebo.
She is also excited to announce that they have had a few more girls join the team since then. Unfortunately, their match scheduled at St. Eds in Fort Dodge on Tuesday, Sept. 22 got postponed after a large number of COVID cases and exposures forced the school to reschedule the game.
While dealing with COVID is frustrating, she and the team are keeping their heads up and they are staying focused on safety.
“(COVID) hasn’t changed practices too much for us since we’re on separate courts, but we do have to have the girls put their belongings on both sides and then we have to clean balls after practice each day. For safety precautions they also warm up with the same partners and stick with them each day so it’s less contamination. They’re also able to wear masks if they desire. If a ball from someone else enters the court, they just nicely kick it back over without having to touch and contaminate it,” explained Flatebo.
Extra precautions are also taken during the matches. The crowd has been asked not to touch a game ball if it rolls into or by the stand.
“They’ve done AMAZING with not touching the game ball when it rolls into the crowd and letting our girls grab it so we can continue on. If someone does touch it, they have to give it to one of us to clean and then we grab a clean ball we have off to the side,” said Flatebo.
Game times have also been shortened to 50 minutes instead of an hour or a little over an hour so 8th grade can have time to warm up in between and they can sanitize anything that’s needed. Each team is also required to bring their own set of balls to work with in warm-ups so everyone isn’t touching them from both teams.
“I do miss being able to shake hands at the end of each game, but there have been some teams that we just get to smile and wave! It’s better than nothing! It’s a lot of little things that we’ve had to change for the game aspect. In the end it’s keeping us healthy and safe, and that’s all that matters right now,” Flatebo stated.
Despite all the challenges of COVID, Flatebo said she and the team are always excited about coming to practice and matches and are ready to have fun and work hard.
“I do feel bad that they’re getting some of their first year of junior high set of games taken away from them. I am thankful we have had two games thus far. I hope we get to have more, but only time will tell! I am very thankful for all the behind the scenes people who are constantly calling the other teams and having all of those tough conversations on whether or not to have practice/ games. It’s got to be a tough call, but they do it all with our best interest at stake. I keep telling the girls, we are all in this together! We will get through it! They are a WONDERFUL group of girls, and they work VERY hard! I always tell Jim how this group of girls really takes what you say to heart and applies it to what they’re doing. I am excited for their future! I hope we get to have more time this season and get some more games in,” she said optimistically.
