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Athletes, coaches respond to fall sports in spring amid pandemic

Lead Summary
By
Jason Berghorst

Friday nights aren’t quite the same this fall in Rock County and throughout Minnesota, due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic
In early August, the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) governing board voted to delay the high school football and volleyball seasons until Spring 2021. 
Other fall sports offered at Luverne High School, including cross country and tennis, were allowed to begin practice in August and have begun competition.
Both teams are competing only against other Big South Conference teams, will have shortened seasons, and postseason competition is yet to be determined. 
Football and volleyball will begin practice-only seasons next week. Both teams are allowed up to twelve practices between Sept. 14 and Oct. 3, but cannot have scrimmages or competitions against other teams. 
Spring sports that lost their entire seasons due to the pandemic last spring (softball, baseball, track and field, golf and boys’ tennis) will also get three weeks of up to twelve practices with no competition Oct. 5-24. 
“We’re safely moving ahead with school activities that our students enjoy,” said Todd Oye, activities director and head football coach for Luverne Public Schools. 
Oye said that the district is following guidelines and requirements from the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Education and the MSHSL. 
“Our plans are designed to keep participants safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19,” he said. 
“It is important to remember that participating in these activities is voluntary,” Oye added. 
And while many Luverne athletes will be either competing or practicing under modified conditions this fall, not having football and volleyball games is definitely noticed by students, parents and fans. 
 
Football players react
“We are so used to starting the year with football,” said Cade Wenninger, an LHS senior football player.
“Especially us seniors, who have gone through three years of being the underclassmen. We are finally on top, but now we have to wait.”
The current MSHSL plan is to offer football and volleyball seasons from mid-March until mid-May and traditional spring sports from mid-May until mid-July. 
Wenninger and other LHS senior players gathered on Cardinal Field Friday afternoon for a photo and to discuss the delayed football season with the Star Herald. 
“It’s really hard not playing,” said Zach Ahrendt. “I think they jumped too fast when they moved the season to spring; they didn’t wait to see what things would be like now.
“And who knows if we’ll be able to play in the spring. The weather can still be bad then. If we have winter weather, what then?”
A number of players also mentioned how teams in neighboring states have been allowed to start their football seasons on schedule. 
“I know a lot of guys in Sioux Falls and in Iowa and they're all able to play now,” said Bailey Cowell. “That makes it hard to see those boys playing and we can’t.”
Team members pointed out that the Cardinals were originally scheduled to play their first game of the season at Worthington that night. 
“We’re supposed to be taking it to Worthington playing the first game on their new turf,” said LaShad Smith, referring to the recently completed major renovation of Trojan Field. 
“We still can; we just have to wait for it,” Cowell said. 
Smith agreed. “This just gives us more time to work before spring,” he said. 
“At least they didn’t cancel our season,” Ethan Beyer said. 
 
Volleyball players react
Gracie Zewiske, a senior LHS volleyball player, is also looking toward a spring season. 
“The first thing I thought of is how busy my spring is going to be,” Zewiske said. 
“I’ll have the volleyball and track seasons and graduate all in a short time,” she said. “Everything will just go by so fast in the spring.” 
Like the football team, the volleyball team will also have three weeks of practice starting soon. 
“It’s good we get to practice in the fall, but it might feel like we are practicing for nothing when the season is so far away,” Zewiske said. “It will definitely be hard to stay motivated when you have no games to win as your reward.” 
The change of sports seasons is impacting more than just the fall athletes. 
The entire fall high school experience is being altered this year. 
“Going to volleyball and football games is a big part of fall for a lot of students,” said Lauren Ver Steeg, student council president at LHS. 
“Especially as seniors, there are so many memories that come with competing in and watching fall sports,” Ver Steeg said. “This is our last year to experience all of that and it’s not going to be the same.”
 
What about homecoming?
Ver Steeg pointed out that Homecoming is another one of those experiences that will be impacted by the MSHSL’s decision to move football and volleyball. 
“Student council has a part in planning Homecoming and, without football and volleyball games, we’ve had the question of whether we want to keep Homecoming in the fall or move it to the spring,” Ver Steeg said. 
“And if we keep it in the fall, what are we going to do to replace those games and events to keep Homecoming fun and interesting?” she said. 
LHS officials plan to make a decision on Homecoming soon. 
For now, the focus is providing as many activities for students as possible, for as long as possible, within state guidelines. 
“We will be addressing issues as they arise during the school year and will be looking for solutions that will allow our students to participate in these co-curricular activities which are very important to their education,” Oye said. 
“Missing a fall sport that I have always played seems like something is missing at the start of my senior year,” Zewiske said. “I just really hope the season is only delayed and not eventually canceled.” 
Wenninger said, “These are just not the circumstances we were expecting for our final year of high school.”

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