Players experience a new normal
Outdoor conditioning, masks now a way of life
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
In the era of coronavirus, high school volleyball practices in state are looking a lot different than they normally do.
Because they play an indoor sport, volleyball players are the only athletes who have to wear masks while actually practicing and competing. Some coaches, such as Simsbury’s Brian Leblanc, are holding preseason conditioning practices outdoors.
“I own a couple of outdoor nets,” Leblanc said. “There was a conversation early on with [the Department of Public Health] and [the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference] about playing outside. If we’re going to be doing fitness outside, the guidelines say everything you can do outside, do it. We’ve been running practices out there.
“It’s not easy. The ball control stuff is hard, but it’s easier to keep the kids distant. There’s times we do go inside with the masks and following all the regulations, but we try to keep most of our activity outside as long as we can.”
The DPH issued guidelines for volleyball initially saying that
the sport should be played outside, but there was pushback from coaches saying that it was impossible to do for a variety of reasons, including weather, lack of outdoor space and lack of outdoor nets.
Last week, the DPH stated: “With regard to CIAC’s consideration of additional mitigation strategies for indoor girls’ volleyball and football that may lower their risks for person-to-person respiratory droplet spread, DPH has suggested that CIAC consider modifications to higher-risk activities, and we continue to encourage such modifications.
“Absent such modifications, DPH is unlikely to support higher-risk activities for the Fall term. We would also recommend that CIAC consult with your sports medicine committee before implementing significant changes to how high school sports are played in our state so that any potential unintended consequences of those changes (including increased risk of injury) can be fully vetted prior to implementation.”
On Friday the CIAC issued a statement that read in part: “In alignment with DPH’s recommendation to consult its sports medicine committee, the CIAC and its medical experts believe that the modification of wearing masks mitigates the risk expressed by DPH and provides a safe indoor environment for the sport of volleyball.”
“I think the DPH all along has been pretty clear with us too that these are their recommendations,” CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini said last week. “But it’s our decision. I do feel we asked pretty specifically in our Aug. 28 letter: Would they support playing volleyball in a mask?
“The response that they gave us stated that we should consider mitigating strategies to high-risk sports and continue to encourage the CIAC to do that. I think their response to that is pretty clear and consistent that it’s our decision, but it’s our decision in alignment with their position.”
So the coaches and players have forged ahead, masked up, for an hour of preseason workouts every day (a half-hour of conditioning and half-hour of skill work), in groups of 10. Full-contact practice will begin Sept. 21 if the coronavirus numbers remain low, and games start Oct. 1.
“It’s been good,” said Tolland senior outside hitter
Cam Luginbuhl, who missed last season with a torn ACL. “Practices have only been an hour. It’s a lot shorter than what we’re used to. We’re cramming a lot of stuff in, but I’m just thankful we have a season.
“[The masks have] been a little difficult, especially the conditioning. I know my sister has sports-induced asthma, so it’s hard for her but if that’s what it takes to have a season, then we’ll deal with it.”
Tolland stays indoors for both conditioning and skill work. Simsbury plays indoors and outdoors, but Leblanc makes his players wear the masks all the time, even outside.
“We are essentially preparing them to play a season with masks on,” Leblanc said. “If they are getting out of breath outside and they need to catch their breath, we tell them to go find your own space far away from other people. And then when you’re ready to rejoin, [put your] mask back on.”
Southington’s players mask up indoors and all the time unless they’re running on the track, when they can take them off.
“It’s a challenge,” Southington senior setter Victoria Zajda said. “I would just say like anything else in life, we just try not to have a negative attitude toward it because we were fortunate enough to have a season to begin with.
“It’s so nice to know that the coaches and the athletic director are on our side and fighting for us to be able to have our last senior season.”
Said her coach Rich Heitz: “The kids have been really good about it. They just want to play volleyball.”