DULUTH – The dance and volleyball teams shared the gym at Lincoln Park Middle School, while the boys' soccer team scrimmaged on the field outside. A few miles down the road, Denfeld High School's football team was doing sprints on its home turf.
Despite uncertainty looming over fall sports teams across the state Tuesday morning, students at this West Duluth high school of 1,000 showed up in swarms for their summer workouts and practices.
Many coaches and players said they've seen better preseason turnouts this July and August than most any other year in recent memory.
"These kids had been locked inside for so long," said Pete Stasiuk, the Denfeld volleyball coach. He started holding nine-person training sessions with his players in late June, spending more than four hours on the court each morning to work with them in COVID-approved small groups.
But just when the year was starting to feel more normal, senior volleyball captain Alli Ahlers learned via Minnesota State High School League action that she will spend an autumn without her favorite sport for the first time since seventh grade.
"We're all pretty bummed," she said of the league's decision delay the volleyball season until March. Ahlers later added that she will enjoy getting to watch friends play soccer for the first time.
Many questions remain, said Tom Pearson, the Denfeld athletic director. Will the sports playing this fall have a postseason? How will busing work? Will multisport athletes run into conflicts?
"Your schedule is going to have to be completely blown up," Pearson yelled to Mike Scrignoli, the Hunters cross-country coach. His team was scheduled to attend a big meet in Milaca this year, but now it will only be able to race against two teams at a time at most.
