Lady Dragons making the most of sports in a pandemic year

Winter sports were delayed, and the season was shortened. Teams have to wear masks, and spectators are limited. Add on top of that the inability to use the school’s main gym.

“We’re just excited and glad that we get to play,” said John Baumgartner, head girls basketball coach at Holyoke High School.

When practice started Monday, Jan. 18 — two months after it normally starts — Baumgartner said that despite all the regulations and changes he’s looking forward to some normalcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s not ideal,” he said, noting it’ll be one of those life lessons the players can talk about with their kids and grandkids later on in life.

A mantra for the team this year is “control the controlables.” Baumgartner said the girls recognize that many things are out of their control this year but they are willing to play by the rules in order to have the opportunity to compete in Season B — the name Colorado High School Activities Association has given to winter sports during an altered pandemic sports schedule.

The Lady Dragons will pack 14 regular-season games and possibly five state playoff games into the next two months. “But 14 games are better than zero,” said Baumgartner.

The team will kick off the season at Perkins County (Grant, Nebraska) next Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 4:15 p.m. followed by back-to-back home games with Otis on Friday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. and Brush on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m.

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