'I'm glad we at least have a season'

Practice time is limited and game schedules are compressed, but Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's high school baseball and softball coaches prefer that to seeing their sports cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic

"I'm glad we at least have a season," said softball coach Carissa Post. "The girls really enjoy seeing each other and doing something together."

Hawk baseball coach Jeremy Gloden said he was "50-50" on whether the season would happen. But after hearing that Gov. Kim Reynolds gave the go-ahead, Gloden was ready to head to the diamond for the start of practices on June 1.

There are several new rules governing how practices and games should be conducted. Post admitted it has been a learning curve for everyone. Players are supposed to distance themselves during drills and batting practices, and dugouts cannot be used at practices.

"You make it work," Post noted.

Coaches and athletes are also required to check their body temperatures before attending practices. Hawk baseball players arriving for pictures and practices on June 8 were greeted with a device to make sure their temperatures registered below 100.4 degrees.

One new wrinkle for games is that foul balls must be sanitized before they can be returned to the umpires.

For the most part, both coaching staffs are taking everything in stride. But one mandate – the prohibition of spitting sunflower seeds – has not been welcome news to everyone.

"The big thing was the no sunflower spitting deal," Gloden acknowledged.

Coaches agree that H-M-S athletes are helping wherever they can. Softball players help sanitize shared equipment after practices and baseball players take equipment to where it will be cleaned.

"It's not hard," Post commented.

"The guys have been pretty good," Gloden added.