Ciara Parizek/MDN The Des Lacs-Burlington volleyball team set up photos of family members, friends and other students who were not able to attend the district game against Glenburn on Oct. 29.

The novel coronavirus is still wreaking havoc on Ward County, causing the number of people allowed to attend sporting events to decrease. Those who do not receive a voucher from one of the players are not able to be at the game. With that in mind, the mothers of the Des Lacs-Burlington High School volleyball team came up with an idea to show their children they are supported by many more: printing photos of family, friends and other students, and standing them up in the bleachers during games.

According to DLB Superintendent Christopher Bachmeier, the main mastermind behind the idea was Sarah Hughes, a mother of one of the volleyball players.

“It was a new development for districts,” Bachmeier said. “It’s a good way to show community support for the girls in this crazy time.”

The photographs were printed and put on wooden sticks that held them upright in the bleachers. Occasionally a stray ball would knock one or two of the photos over, but they were put upright again.

Bachmeier also said he thinks putting up the photos may continue into regionals and maybe into basketball season, as well, but it also depends on how things go over the course of the next couple of months.

“It’s a great movement by parents of the players,” Bachmeier concluded.

Having support from those the players love can be important in performance and it means a lot to them that their loved ones took the time to attend their games and cheer them on. COVID-19 is still prevalent, but that does not stop those people from being there for the players in spirit.