Not in person: Athletes compete virtually in the pool, on the range
Boys and girls in the winter sports season just wanted the chance to compete, to play.
That meant doing so virtually for those on the rifle range and many in the pool before the season concluded with the WPIAL Championships in late February and early March.
Rifle coaches decided before their season started their teams would compete virtually.
Waynesburg coach Rich Rush said the virtual season had a hitch or two, but everyone adjusted to the demands and made it work.
“Postal matches,” as Rush referred to the virtual competitions. “It’s different. We didn’t have too much trouble.”
Although matches on the range are far more subdued than games on a court or meets in a pool, Rush said there was something missing for some of his squad.
“Some kids feed off (having the other team present). Sometimes it seemed just like a practice. The kids weren’t getting into it,” said Rush.
Whether done electronically or manually, the scoring was done by each coach and the results were combined, generally in a timely fashion.
“We were dealing with the honor system. We lost to McGuffey on an ‘X’ count,” explained Rush. “I’d text a photo or when we had the Orion System (for electronic scoring), we’d send the printout.
“We still tried to keep with the schedule and get the results finished within a day or two.”
Rush was very cognizant with protocols in place, especially since Waynesburg shares the Waynesburg Sportsmen’s Club with West Greene.
“We’d go from 3-4:30 in the afternoon and we’d shoot three at a time with a lane in between and plexiglass between the lanes,” said Rush. “Then, when they finished they were to leave.
“Shooting against West Greene was different.”
The Raiders finished third in the WPIAL Team Championships. Taylor Burnfield finished third on tiebreakers and Grace Kalsey placed sixth in the individual championship.
The district team and individual finals were the first time the athletes shot away from their home ranges and against other teams.
“But, it all worked out. The kids did well in the playoffs,” added Rush.
Any time Laurel Highlands and Uniontown meet in competition, a raucous, noisy crowd is present, amping up the energy of the rivalry.
But not this year, with the Mustangs and Red Raiders swimming in their homes pools a mere 1½ miles apart.
The atmosphere of a normal meet was missed by Laurel Highlands’ Dean Schiffbauer.
“It feels like a practice,” said Schiffbauer. “I’m not one who can hear the screaming, but it’s a lot more adrenaline-creating with people actually watching (in the stands) than in a camera.”
Frazier junior Alexandra Pohodich swam at Connellsville home meets for the opportunity to qualify for the district meet. She admitted swimming in a virtual meet was a bit different.
“The last meet felt like a mock meet or practice. It was very different,” said Pohodich.
Connellsville was able to compete in person for most of its meets, with a limited crowd in the stands, but did have to merge electronic folders against Mount Pleasant and Hempfield.
“Each team swims at each school with referees, then the results are merged in the computer,” explained Connellsville assistant coach Carrie Detwiler. “It’s supposed to be done in seven days.”
The lane assignments are the same virtually, with the home team in Lanes 2, 4 and 6 and the visitors taking Lanes 1, 3 and 5.
“The kids have nothing to push them,” added Detwiler.
All but three of Uniontown’s meets, all on the road, were held virtually, so the staff got pretty good at the setup. To that point, Vera Grimes, wife of head coach Bill Grimes, helped other teams with any issues with scoring a virtual meet.
“The results were usually done on the same night,” said Bill Grimes. “We taught several schools because we did so many. We helped them.”
Bill Grimes said holding meets virtually often adjusted the way he filled out the events.
“I put some of our kids in some events they would not normally be in to get them to push (their teammates),” said Grimes. “When I see a meet’s heat sheet, I can adjust my people to get a better result.”
Grimes said he adjusted the way he set his lineup as the season progressed.
“By midseason on, we focused on WPIAL times,” said Grimes. “We lost a meet or two because we moved our kids around.”
Grimes had nothing but praise for his squad as they dealt with all the issues brought about by the coronavirus.
“We missed 38 days of practice,” explained Grimes. “I can’t say enough about my kids. You have to be in condition. We were more concerned to try to get those kids qualified for the WPIALs. We pushed them like we never had before.”
Mapletown’s Ella Menear won bronze in the 200 IM and silver in the 100 backstroke at the WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships last year as a freshman.
As an independent swimmer, Menear needed a lane to secure qualifying times for the WPIAL championship. Laurel Highlands has graciously offered her an open lane to do so over the past two seasons.
“All but one meet was virtual. The first meet (against Freeport) was live,” said Christy Menear, Ella’s mother and coach. “Ella was welcome (at Laurel Highlands).”
Christy Menear said the approach to qualifying was altered given the situation brought about by the pandemic.
“We focused on the 100 backstroke and 200 IM this year. Once she received those (qualifying) times, we didn’t press to be there,” said Christy Menear. “Last year, we tried to qualify in multiple events. This year we focused on what she would do the best.
“It wouldn’t be appropriate this year to qualify in five events. We kept her focused on what she did last year.”
Christy Menear praised how the swimmers dealt with everything surrounding the completion of the season during the pandemic.
“What is so wonderful about these competitors is how they’ve been so resilient. They pushed through and continued to improve,” said Menear. “Not to have the adrenaline rush you’d have in a live meet. You can’t replace the physical noise.”