Hatton-Northwood unanimously decides to resume volleyball season after crash
Oct. 10—HATTON, N.D. — The only way Hatton-Northwood senior Thea Letcher knows how to describe the last three weeks is "a rollercoaster."
"These last few weeks have been nothing but gratitude, and thankfulness," she said.
The senior volleyball player was one of about 20 Thunder players who stepped on the court Monday night for their first game since mid-September.
"It's seriously been nothing short of amazing how everyone has come together to support us and get behind us," Letcher said. "That emotional support has honestly helped carry us to tonight. I'm also so, so, so proud of my team. They have seriously done something that is truly amazing. Nothing short of a miracle."
Five days after the Sept. 14 rollover bus crash that injured 27 Hatton-Northwood volleyball players and coaches, school administrators and team members met to check in on how players were healing from their injuries.
They also wanted to answer one question: Should the volleyball season continue?
"They just looked at us players and said, 'What do you guys want to do?'" Letcher said. "It was a unanimous consensus that we wanted to resume the season if we could."
Ultimately, finishing out the season will provide some normalcy to players who have sought that since the crash.
"The best thing for these girls that can play, and that want to play, is to continue our season the best we can," coach Molly Griep said. "If we canceled it, it would have been more tough for the girls to move forward and heal."
After deciding to finish the season, activities director Tony Evenstad began the process of rescheduling games. What might've started out as a daunting task became an easy process thanks to the flexibility of other activities directors in the region.
There were many long, back-and-forth conversations between Evenstad and other activities directors, but, eventually, Hatton-Northwood ended up with a complete schedule.
It will be a grind, though: The Thunder will play eight games in three weeks, with the first four played in one week.
"It's going to take a lot of grit and resilience to get through these next few weeks," Letcher said.
The rest of the season isn't about winning, Griep said.
"It's more, 'Are these girls back on the court? Are they having fun? Are they getting back onto the bus and not having panic attacks?' she said. "That's really our goal."
The outcomes of games aren't the focus of the Thunder the rest of the season. They aren't worried about their playoff seeding. What matters, Letcher said, is the opportunity they have to play as a team again.
"A few weeks ago, we had no clue if we were going to be here (Monday)," she said. "Just making sure we don't take any day for granted, any game for granted. And making sure that we cherish these last few weeks."
