Local high school volleyball teams eager for start of delayed season in November, yet questions remain
With a little over a month left until the delayed high school volleyball tips off in North Carolina, anticipation for the season is high as ever among Cherokee County’s volleyball programs.
With most student-athletes not having been able to compete in scholastic sports since March and volleyball season delayed a few months after its typical starting date, players and coaches alike are itching for the chance to step out onto the floor again.
“The girls are ready!” Murphy coach Nikol Edwards said of the Lady Bulldogs’ anticipation for the season. “They want to play so badly. It’s been such a long time and they’ve already been through so much, we just want a season.”
With the season delayed past its normal starting time in August and team unable to hold official practices together due to COVID-19 restrictions placed by the N.C. High School Athletics Association, high school volleyball programs have been limited in what types of activities they could do in the mean time.
“The past few months have been very similar to what we do in the summer, except much more restricted,” Edwards said of how the team has approached the extended period leading up to the season. “The girls are getting stronger, fast and better every day and working hard because they know this season is going to be short.”
Andrews coach Shanna Mustin said that the restrictions on the types of drills and workouts have been frustrating, especially given the high amount of new players that the Lady Wildcats have joining the program this season.
“It’s going to be very difficult,” Mustin said of only having two weeks between Andrews’ first team practice and first game of the season against Murphy. “We haven’t been able to do much of a ‘practice’ so really in two weeks we’re going to have to crunch a whole lot in there to get them prepared. But still, everybody is in the same boat, we have two weeks and the rest of the conference has two weeks.”
Mustin added that she thinks this season will be special for the players since they almost did not get a chance to play this year.
“I think its going to be really great because as a coach, we always tell your athletes not to take this for granted,” Mustin said. “Leave everything on the court because one day you’ll look back and not have this. And I think for the first time, they sincerely understand that because there was a possibility that they didn’t get to have this season.”
As the Nov. 16 first contest date for volleyball continues to approach, questions regarding game-day COVID-19 protocols, including limits placed on attendance at games, have yet to be answered as the NCHSAA waits for guidance from Gov. Cooper.
“I understand that the state has to be cautious – we all have to be careful – but these athletes deserve a season,” Edwards said of possible procedures and restrictions placed on the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “While I know there will probably be some restrictions, I hope and pray that they allow fans (to some extent). Part of what makes high school sports so special is the atmosphere.”