Risley: “Everyone is just happy to be on the court and to see one another”
By FRED KRONER
One segment of the high school athletic scene has not changed significantly in the seven months since COVID-19 caused the sporting landscape to be overhauled.
When given a chance, the teen-aged athletes are still making memories.
Throughout the state, sports which were not considered in-season this fall have been allowed to have limited contact days, up to 20 during an eight-week period. It’s up to the coaches how they structure these workouts as long as guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health are followed.
Girls’ volleyball at Mahomet-Seymour got off to a slow start.
“After one practice, it happened that there was a COVID case, so we had to stop practices,” second-year head coach Stan Bergman said.
When the program finished with its quarantine, the team returned to a new facility.
“Once we got going again, we had use of the renovated field house, so we could spread out more into special groups,” Bergman said.
In many ways, the contact days that coaches have with their athletes are similar to what was available previously during the summer.
“Contact days are like summer practices in that we use the time to let the girls get as many reps in as they can,” Bergman said.
And, just like in the summer, squad members sometimes have conflicts.
“We actually miss kids on a given night because of club volleyball,” said Bergman, who nonetheless said he has had on average at least two dozen prospects, covering all three levels, at each volleyball contact day.
Currently, high school volleyball is scheduled to start its official practice season on Feb. 13, 2021, two days after girls’ basketball is scheduled to end.
Bergman is working with two new assistant coaches this year, Lindsay Hewitt, who coached with him previously at Centennial, and Angela Allen.
The competitive season for volleyball would be from March 1-May 1.
“The problem starting at this time is it is the end of cold and flu season, so I can only hope that we are all healthy,” Bergman said.
First-year M-S girls’ basketball coach Garret Risley appreciated whatever time was available for the players to get introduced to the staff and the expectations.
“Having the opportunity to be around them and to get to know these girls prior to open gyms and the regular season has been great,” Risley said. “We’re fortunate to go through this together as a team. We’re happy to get time in the gym.
“It’s an experience that these girls won’t be forgetting anytime soon.”
New layers and new rules have been added as teams gather.
“There are a few changes in how we practice due to COVID – temperature checks, pre-participation questions, disinfecting, masks – but it’s become part of our routine and the girls have had a great attitude about the whole situation, Risley said.
The bottom line, Risley added, is that the teen-agers have something familiar and desirable back in their lives.
“Everyone is just happy to be on the court and to see one another,” he said.
The Bulldogs have had contact days in girls’ basketball twice a week for two hours, followed by a weightlifting session.
If girls’ – and boys’ – basketball gets the green light, games could be played between Nov. 30 and Feb. 13, with practices starting on Nov. 16.
M-S wrestling coach Rob Ledin has faced daunting challenges.
His squad members can’t physically wrestle against one another during their contact days.
“That we cannot actually touch each other for drilling or wrestling has been challenging,” Ledin said. “After-school mat training includes all the individual drills we can do.
“Stance and motion drills on air, leg attack shooting drills on air, standup and Granby drills on air. We have also implemented some top work spin and tilt drills utilizing yoga balls.
“Recently, we acquired a throwing dummy. These items are easy to wipe down with disinfectant wipes.”
Besides the limited individual drills, strength conditioning has also been a point of emphasis.
To better social distance, Ledin has divided his team into two sessions, one for morning strength training and one for after-school training.
“We wear marks for both workouts,” Ledin said.
Ledin originally had 34 athletes sign up for the contact days, which take place on Mondays and Wednesdays.
“Anywhere from 12 to 24 consistently attend,” he said.
Practice for the traditional winter sports of basketball and wrestling are still scheduled to start on Nov. 16. Ledin is not optimistic that wrestling will be granted approval to go in another month.
A push, in fact, is being made for the season to be shifted into the summer session. The Illinois High School Association is expected to consider this option at a Board of Directors meeting on Monday (Oct. 19).
“As for starting in November, my thought is it will not happen,” Ledin said. “I believe with the current situation, that the IWCOA (Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association) proposal to move our season to the summer is the best scenario.”
Other sports currently listed in the summer competitive season would be allowed to compete from May 3 through June 26, with practices starting on April 26.
