By: Khamille Labbe, Contributing Writer
As most sports seasons and practices have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, many athletes have experienced a sense of loss and regret.
22-year-old, beach volleyball player, Kirsten Kaiser, discussed the intricate struggles she and some other athletes are currently facing.
One of the biggest differences is in the way she and her teammate’s train. She explained volleyball practices are usually segments of eight or 15 hours. There are only 15 people allowed to practice at the time in teams of 20 and more. These time slots equally are shared between the girls’ and boys’ teams. Kaiser reported these schedules also affect team interaction and thus their bond.
“I feel like I barely even know the new girls that well. There is kind of a divide, that there usually isn’t there,” said Kaiser.
Separate but not distant. Saint Leo’s beach volleyball girls understand the importance of being spread apart due to COVID-19; however, never let this virus take away from the sport they love, with the team they love.
Kaiser believes in the importance of being a team both on and off the field. Before the virus, teams would go out to celebrate after games. They would share group hugs when they’d score a point. According to Kaiser, her team is her family. They were her friends first, but the sport made them closer. She explained volleyball has created a sense of trust and dependency among her teammates on and off the field. With the pandemic, there is a need to keep distance and to isolate; she claims it has caused a disconnect within all teams.
Volleyball is more than just her sport, but a livelihood. It creates structure, a sense of purpose, and stability.
“Even my first two years of school I was undecided, I was not sure what I was doing, but I was like ‘oh well I play volleyball so that’s a good start,’” Kaiser stated.
Having this in mind gave her peace and security in her future. Volleyball has given her the chance to travel the world to places like Italy and meet renowned athletes; sadly, these last semesters at Saint Leo have been affected by the pandemic, confining her potential to grow as a player.
For teams to make it through COVID-19, they must arrange a time to be with their team. It is uncertain when the virus might end, thus it is crucial to give practices as much effort as possible. Kaiser advises all to stay on top of their schedules to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to participate in the sports that they love.
