Since the beginning of its spread in the U.S. last spring, COVID-19 has wrecked every plan and season for sports in 2020. Adding to the list of canceled seasons for the spring was the Texas A&M women’s club volleyball team.
In her debut season with the organization, team Vice President Allie Goff said she felt robbed and unhappy with how things turned out.
“Last season, COVID-19 left us with a completely unfinished and unsatisfactory end to the season,” Goff said.
In 2019, the team won the national championship and looked forward to reclaiming back-to-back titles in 2020.
“We were not able to go to any of our out of state tournaments, including the 2020 National Championships, and I can confidently say that no one in the club left last season feeling content with only getting to compete for 3/4 of the season,” Goff said.
Proceeding into the fall, senior and club president Emily Hubacek said finding a safe way for the team to practice amid the new restrictions put in place has been “trial and error.”
“COVID-19 has changed the way we normally run our club dramatically,” Hubacek said. “It has been such a trial and error season so far, and we have been figuring out what works best for the club and keeping it a safe environment for our players while also providing a quality season to better our skills.”
Although there is no word as of yet for the spring season, the team’s spirits remain intact as the fall provides some normalcy. The club is holding a 2020 Fall Skills Development where 32 girls are chosen via application to come and refine their skills throughout the semester. Then in the spring, the club will have an official tryout.
“Just because this fall is very different from a normal season, we don’t want to waste any time getting prepared,” Hubacek said.
The team is not only progressing in their skills but also using this time to reflect on how easily things can be taken away. For some players, this pandemic made them gain perspective and appreciation for the game of volleyball.
“I think the biggest thing that has changed for me is how grateful I am for the game,” Goff said. “This is the longest time I have put a ball down in over 10 years of playing, and I want nothing more than to be able to compete again.”
With the many emotions and restrictions COVID-19 has brought, the team still remains committed to each other and the game and are looking forward to making the next season the most memorable one yet.
“At the end of the day, all the work we have put into making this season as best as it can be and all the relationships I have gotten to make have been so worth it, COVID-19 or not,” Goff said.