Fear of unknown perplexes coaches

Bentonville Coach Michelle Smith said “the unknown is what scares me” as uncertainty surrounds whether there will be a volleyball season this fall.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Bentonville Coach Michelle Smith said “the unknown is what scares me” as uncertainty surrounds whether there will be a volleyball season this fall. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)

There's a feeling of optimism for a pair of state championship-winning coaches as it pertains to having a 2020 high school volleyball season.

But with all of the uncertainty that's engulfed the country because of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, that's about as good as it gets right now for Bentonville's Michelle Smith and Hackett's Bridget Freeman.

"The unknown is what scares me," said Smith, who has led the Lady Tigers to six state titles. "As a coach, you want to control your seasons, you want to know where you're going, who you're playing. ... You know [the schedule] is out there, and you know it's possible. But with everything being so fluid, it's also very possible that it can all change.

"That causes some anxiety, not really knowing what's to come."

That unpredictability isn't lost on Freeman, either. After leading the Lady Hornets to their first state crown last season, she's not sure they'll get a chance to defend it.

"I want the team to have a season so bad, especially the seniors," said Freeman, who has been the head coach at Hackett since the program began playing varsity volleyball in 2016. "They're the group I started volleyball with when they were seventh-graders. They were the first kids I had at Hackett, and they were the first team that brought home a state championship.

"Not that I don't want it to happen with any of my other kids. But when you have a group that started the program, you want them to be able to finish it. But again, we just don't have any idea about what's going to happen. [You] try not to get bogged down by it all, but it's hard not to."

What the coaches do know is that covid-19 has caused the prearranged to be rearranged in some fashion in just about every sport within the state.

Spring activities were shelved for nearly three months until that ban was lifted in June, which enabled high school coaches to hold workouts with their student athletes.

Several restrictions remain in place because of the coronavirus, but Tuesday, the Arkansas Activities Association revealed that it intends to start all fall sports on time. That, of course, could change.

On Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said schools would now start during the week of August 24 instead of the original opening date of August 13. That alone gives coaches like Smith and Freeman a reason to wonder if their teams would play a meaningful game this season.

Until then, Smith and Freeman are going to continue to prepare as if there will be a season.

"Our focus this week was that if you fail to prepare, then you prepare to fail," Smith said. "Basically I told the girls that we're going to prepare. We're not preparing to fail, but we're going to prepare for the unknown, prepare for what's to come.

"With that, we're going to come into practices every day looking at the positives. Instead of looking at it going, 'Oh I can't do this drill, I can't do that or I can't scrimmage' because of all the restrictions, we're going to look at it and go, 'I can do this, I can do that, I can get better.' "

Bentonville couldn't have asked for a better finish to 2019. The Lady Tigers shook off a slow start to beat Fort Smith Southside in the Class 6A final in Hot Springs.

That team was senior-heavy, so getting everyone in for workouts this summer has been a plus. They are not allowed to have contact in practice, but Smith said the defending champs have adjusted well.

"It has been odd and different for us with the new protocols to wear face masks and have distancing," she noted. "Nothing is normal about the situation at hand, but I'm so proud of the way the girls have adapted. Teenagers are resilient, and they have proven it day in and day out.

"We did honor the summer dead period, though. I felt like it was important mentally for us. But they were ready to go when we came back from that break."

Smith did mention that it's been a struggle for her at times during workouts because of her inclination to praise her players. She said she would normally hug them or give them high-fives to show her appreciation for their work, but directives keep her from doing so.

"You go to give them a handshake or go to give them a squeeze, and you can't," she admitted. "You just kind of look at them. They know what you want to do, and you're like, 'Um, air hug.' "

Freeman also acknowledged that the current health and safety stipulations have limited what her team has been able to accomplish. However, she revealed that the Lady Hornets have found ways to modify their processes.

"I think that's probably one of their greatest strengths," she said of her team. "They just kind of take things as they come, and to me, that shows character. They just take it and run with it.

"We've been working as hard as possible under the restrictions we have. We can't force anything on them, but attendance has been unreal. All of them have been showing up, and they come to practice excited."

Unlike Bentonville, Hackett didn't lose much from a team that went 29-2 and knocked off Crowley's Ridge Academy to win the Class 2A championship a year ago. The Lady Hornets lost just one senior and are expected to again challenge for a title, but they'll have to navigate through a tough schedule after moving up to Class 3A.

"They're taking it on as a challenge and preparing for it," Freeman said. "We're heading to that new conference where we know it'll be tough. But the girls enjoy the process of trying to get better every day.

"We're going to see what we can do [in 3A], but enjoy it, too."

Right now, jubilation for the coaches would include being assured that a season will be played.

"Like most coaches, I'm a planner," Smith said. "Our games have been set in stone since last November. But you never know. I will say that our administration has been amazing through it all. We're talking about the unknown, but there's also that comfort of knowing you're in good hands because of a strong administration team. We have that so we know we're going to be OK."

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