Rustlers battle to stay positive during latest restrictions

Challenging may be the best word to describe the Lakeland College Rustlers women's volleyball team's 2020-21 season.

The Rustlers have ceased sport cohort team practices and intrasquad games this semester due to the Alberta government COVID-precaution restrictions that were put in place on Nov. 27. The new restrictions came on the heels of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) cancelling a proposed winter semester competition season.

Austin Dyer, head coach of the Rustlers women's volleyball team, said they have shifted to meeting virtually as a way to check in on each other and continue building relationships this winter. He said the players are also taking advantage of the looser Saskatchewan COVID-precaution restrictions going in groups of eight to work out at the Servus Sports Centre gym five days a week along with doing yoga on Thursdays to aid in recovery and boost mental health.

"They've been really good, but I know this round is really starting to wear on them," said Dyer about how his players are coping. "We're approaching two full months of not being able to train. And, with those restrictions in place it takes a toll on people."

Dyer noted athletes and even everyday people who simply enjoy staying active are experiencing a detrimental impact to their mental health due to not being able to enjoy the practices they are accustomed to. However, he said the girls are hanging in there and the hope is they continue to stay positive and remain optimistic that things are going to get better.

"Only time will tell," he added. "I think as long as the restrictions are in place it's not just the harder it is on our athletes but the harder it is on everybody. So, hopefully we can get things sorted out here and get this virus under control within our province and country. Then, hopefully, people can go back to living at least somewhat the way they were used to."

Brooklyn Boehm, a fifth-year middle for the Rustlers, said they are trying to organize some team gatherings outside whenever weather permits, but apart from that never really get to see each other. She said some players have returned home as well since there are no practices to attend, which presents further challenges to staying in contact.

"It's been something no one could have expected, but I think we're doing our best to just maintain good grades in the classroom with our extra time off, to be active outside and to continue working out at the gym," said Boehm, who has remained on campus while studying toward a Bachelor of Commerce-Marketing degree. "We're hoping the restrictions will lift soon, so that will allow us to start training."

Boehm said they do feel fortunate that despite not being able to play other teams were allowed to move forward with an exhibition-style setup of practices and regular weekend intrasquad games in the first semester. She said the team also continued to be engaged in the community during the fall by filling boxes for Operation Christmas Child, challenging other athletes at Lakeland College to do the same and making a donation of feminine hygiene products to the Salvation Army.

"This semester we're still working on what we're going to do," she said. "In the last couple of seasons we've done a food drive with the men's volleyball team with all the donations going to the Salvation Army. So, we're planning another event. Hopefully it'll be something we can do virtually. But, that is to be determined."

Dyer said all 16 players, including Boehm thanks to an ACAC decision that this campaign would not count toward someone's five-year window of eligibility, are currently planning to return for the 2021-22 season. He said that makes a recruitment drive unnecessary, but they still did manage to sign one new player out of Prince Albert.

"I'm just crossing my fingers that the vaccine rollout and the process that the government is taking right now is going to set us up to return back to some normalcy and that hopefully come fall we're going to be able to get back to it," said Dyer. "If that happens I should have a full roster returning and we should be very competitive."

Story provided by: Jamie Harkins, MeridianSource