This year sports have been really different. Some people probably wonder how hard it is to play with a mask. These girls and coaches say it’s hard but manageable. Even though it’s hard, they love playing their favorite sport.

The players on this year’s Middle School Girls Basketball Team are Vienna Anderson, Maribeth Banks, Lilyana Beyer, Lauren Graff, Anna Otte, Anna Ritz, Avery Rustad, Chole Sjoquist, Maggie Mlsna, Sophia Nerison, Ally Pagel, Josie Sjoquist, Falon Hepola, Makenzie Medcraft, Kaeda Rezac, Riley Iverson, Livia Tennessen, and Katie Tipton. The coaches are Rob Stachowski and Sean Wingfiled. This year, the girls have won 4 games and lost 5 games. Rob Stachowski, the Middle School Girls’ Basketball Coach, says, “This year the girls have worked their hardest.” Coach Stachowski has coached Cannon Falls athletes for eight years. He enjoys coaching because all of the girls are super positive and always try their hardest no matter what.  

At the beginning of practice, the girls shoot some baskets, and then go into a big circle and do a few drills to get warmed up. Next, they do some dribbling drills around the gym. After that, they partner up and work on skills to help with keeping the ball away from the other team. The 7th-grade team sometimes invited 6th graders to play with them so that they could practice with more people.

A lot of the girls have said the practices have not been that different during the pandemic. The basketball players wear their masks the whole time at practice except for during water breaks. A few of the girls say it is harder with masks but it makes them work harder. Everyone stays six feet apart when they are not doing drills. One of the players, Maggie Mlsna, says “It’s harder with the mask, but it’s fine because I still get to play the game.” Even through the year with Covid, the girls have all loved and enjoyed playing because they get the opportunity to leave the house. Riley Iverson says, “I normally play three sports a year. This year, I can only do two, but during the lockdown, it was hard because I missed out on sports.” 

During practice, everyone comes in ready to play. Even if they are having a hard day, they leave it at the door and enjoy playing the game they love. Though this season has been different this year, all of them are happy to play and be with their friends.