Volleyball players move the game outside to keep playing
When there’s a will,
CHATSWORTH » there’s a way.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has yet to permit indoor competition for high school athletics this spring, despite the state Department of Public Health giving guidance on how to do so.
LAUSD has only permitted outdoor sports competition.
That’s where will and the way come into play.
City Section schools have been playing volleyball outdoors this spring, taking on opponents and the elements at the same time.
The grass courts were on display Tuesday afternoon at Chatsworth High in a girls and boys volleyball doubleheader.
The center line and 10-foot lines were spray-painted onto the grass, and roped lines were used for the baselines and sidelines.
The Taft girls won in five sets, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 17-25, 15-10. The Chatsworth boys, the favorites to win the City title, swept Taft 25-19, 2522, 25-22.
There are big adjustments to playing volleyball outdoors instead of indoors. Some of the adjustments are obvious, such as the weather. Some adjustments aren’t as obvious.
“I’m allergic to grass,” Taft senior Naomi Imamoto said laughing.
It was cold, gloomy and breezy Tuesday, but the weather was perfect, according to Imamoto.
“The sun is worse,” said Imamoto, who plays setter for the Toreadors. “Today, there was no sun, so it’s easier to find the ball in the air. The cold doesn’t really matter too much when you’re playing.”
Chatsworth senior Madison Noji added: “Last week, our whole team wore sunglasses in a match. We looked ridiculous.”
The grass court was groomed to a short, golf fairway-type length. Some players wore cleats for better traction, others wore traditional volleyball shoes. Some players wore kneepads.
Each player has a preference when it comes to dealing with the outdoor elements, that’s what makes them different. But every player competing in this very different outdoor season seems united by one thing: they are playing the sport they love with their teammates.
“When I first heard we’d have to play outside, I wasn’t sure it was something everyone would be able to adjust to,” Taft senior Kate Ferguson said. “But it’s a lot more fun than I thought. And when I think about it, we were all willing to do whatever it took to have a senior season.”