Dragon's Tale - May 2020 Issue

Lasting Through Tough Times Student balances work and school during pandemic

Relieving Stress Finding different ways to cope with high stress levels 000-000 Cover-BK Cover.indd 3

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TABLE OF IN THE CLASSROOM ON CAMPUS

2 A Love of Teaching Grows Summer camp sparks future career in agriculture for HutchCC instructor

Pablo Sanchez

IN THE COMMUNITY

4 Lasting Through Tough Times

8 Relieving Stress

Fire science student balances school and work during pandemic

Sydnee Shive

Stress levels are at an all time high but students find different ways to cope with it all.

Regan LaRue

6 Starting on the Sidelines

10 The Coronavirus Outbreak

Student athletic trainer finds way to career as a physician assistant.

Brogen Willich

Global pandemic hits local businesses.

Matthew Folkerts

12 Staying Together While Being Apart How local youth groups are staying strong during these hard times.

Hannah Brummer

MEET THE STAFF

Hannah Brummer Buhler

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Matthew Folkerts Hutchinson

Regan LaRue Kingman

Pablo Sanchez Hutchinson

Myranda Stika Burdick

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CONTENTS ON THE COVER

ON THE FIELD 14 “Tracking” Down Coach Spies An inside look at the new track and field head coach’s first year at HutchCC.

Myranda Stika

16 HutchCC Baseball Players and coaches spend 2020 season away from the ball field. ▲ Devon Lastinger, Mount Hope, works as a cook at Mount Hope Nursing Center in Mount Hope. As a safety precaution, all employees are required to wear masks.

Photo by Christina Lastinger

Sydney Henke

18 Putting Through Pandemics The season comes to an abrupt end for the HutchCC golf team.

Brooke Greene

Sydney Henke Pratt

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Brooke Greene Hutchinson

The Dragon’s Tale is published four times a year by the Magazine Production class of Hutchinson Community College, 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS, 67501.

When compiled, the four issues serve as an overview of the activities and the people of HutchCC during the school year.

Brogen Willich Derby

Sydnee Shive Publication Editor Mt. Hope

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

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A love of teaching GROWS

Pablo Sanchez, Reporter & Designer

Summer camp sparks future career in agriculture for HutchCC instructor Switching classes from face-to-face to online only can be a challenge, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, schools were to do just that.

Many instructors at Hutchinson Community College had to change their traditional classroom methods, including Kent McKinnis, Agronomy Instructor/Crops & Soils Specialist.

“I enjoy the day-to-day interactions with the students and other staff,” McKinnis said.

“I try to keep in touch with the students through email, text, and even some phone calls. It takes a good deal of work to get all of the class material set up in the Learning Zone in a manner that helps the students get as close as an experience as possible to in-person classes. It is nice that we do have a way to complete the semester even with everything going on.”

McKinnis started his teaching career when he started to teach Boy Scouts at the age of 14 every summer, from May to August.

“I took the job because I wanted to hang out at camp all summer instead of being home, I discovered that I enjoyed teaching. I taught nature, environmental science, insect study, mammals, and forestry merit badges for three summers,” McKinnis said. “I then was put in charge of the horse program and taught horsemanship, animal science and advanced riding until I graduated college.”

After completing his master’s degree,

McKinnis worked for Kansas State University as an Extension Educator in Phillips and Reno counties.

Enjoying the weather and being outside with friends, family, or even yourself can provide a peace of mind, and doing it every now and then can be great for mental health.

College life for McKinnis was pretty smooth sailing.

“I was in college in the first half of the 1990s. We still got in line to register for classes, the internet was not going yet. The last couple of years in college, we started using email and the internet some. Almost everything was done on paper and in person,” McKinnis said.

He attended and received both of his degrees at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. which was located in the piney woods of east Texas. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity while he attended college.

McKinnis’ classes offer a wide range of also taking care of plants, however, since the pandemic hit, the number of people in one setting was limited to 10 people. That affected how the greenhouse operates and the students are now required to have face masks and must stay at least six feet apart from each other.

Every semester the agriculture class has a plant sale in the spring selling a wide variety of plants and vegetables the event was

held Thursday. The class ended up planting twice as many from last year and ended up selling out of vegetables and herbs quickly.

“We appreciate everyone that came to the sale and supported us” said McKinnis. The money they raised will go to collegiate farm bureau leadership conferences and other student activities The thing to keep in mind is that the semester is almost over, and students and faculty both can power through the situation. Students are encouraged to reach out to instructors if things are getting rough.

If students feel more comfortable, HutchCC has counselors here to help get through this troubling time.

▼ Kent McKinnis, Agronomy Instructor/Crops & Soils Specialist, is shown on a horse while working a summer job he had in college running a horse program at a camp in east Texas.

Photo provided by Kent McKinnis

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▲ Kent McKinnis explains about the HutchCC plant sale at the South Campus greenhouse Apr. 29 through May 1. He said they sold a lot of plants during the three-day sale.

Photo provided by HutchCC marketing

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

◄ McKinnis sits with his wife in the back of his truck before they got married.

Photo provided by Kent McKinnis

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COVID-19 Timeline

March 7 First COVID-19 case in Kansas

March 15 HutchCC starts early spring break

March 18 HutchCC begins transition to online learning

Car extractions, burning buildings, and wildfires. What do these things have in common? Firefighters. For future firefighter Devon Lastinger, Mount Hope, it is in his blood.

“Family definitely influenced me to take my career path,” Lastinger said. “​My grandpa was a firefighter and my dad was also a firefighter in the Army.”

Lastinger is a sophomore at Hutchinson Community College majoring in fire science. Compared to other programs on campus, fire science is unique. Very few programs utilize and rely on handson learning like the fire science program does.

“No other program lets you walk into a burning structure and actually experience the heat and what it feels like to be up close to the fire itself,” Lastinger said.

But, with the introduction of online learning due to COVID-19, hands-on learning has become nearly impossible. “​It’s tough because now I can’t do any of the hands-on stuff,” Lastinger said. “It has definitely made it harder to learn without an instructor or being face-to-face.”

Lasting

Sydnee Shive, Reporter & Designer

Through

Tough

Devon Lastinger, a sophomore majoring in fire science, balances school and work during a global pandemic

Times

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March 20 First COVID-19 case in Reno County

March 28 Stay-at-home order issued

by Kansas governor

March 30 First day of HutchCC remote learning

May 3 Stay-at-home order ends

we leave,” said Lastinger. “We wear masks the entire time we are at the facility, of course, washing hands constantly, wearing gloves and we have also cut off any sort of visitation to prevent the virus from entering our nursing home.”

Even though COVID-19 has presented several challenges to learning, Lastinger is preparing to graduate in May with his associates degree. He plans on starting a career in structure fires.

“I am excited to experience what it’s like to be a fireman, and to be able to help people and support my community,” Lastinger said.

When looking back on his time at HutchCC, Lastinger says it is the people he will miss the most.

“I’ve made so many friends in the fire science program and also within different departments. It’s always something new and the experiences are cool,” Lastinger said. “I’ll miss the friends that I made and the different things I was able to experience.”

During this time, his advice to future fire science majors is simple.

“Stick with it,” Lastinger said. “Don’t give up, study like there is no tomorrow.”

▼ Lastinger works as a cook at Mount Hope Nursing Center in Mount Hope.

As a safety precaution, all employees are required to wear masks.

Photo by Christina Lastinger

▼ Lastinger does most of his class work from home. Classes that included more hands-on material used Zoom for online meetings.

Photo by Christina Lastinger

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

Additionally, fire science students have a difficult workload, with some classes lasting four hours or more. “​It’s a lot of information to learn in a shorter time period,” Lastinger said. “Most people have four-plus years to learn, and ours is in a two-year span. Some classes are four hours long, so there is a lot of time and effort you have to put in.”

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have touched almost all aspects of Lastinger’s life. Along with being a full-time student, Lastinger works at the Mount Hope Nursing Center and as a volunteer firefighter.

“I work a part-time job, but I am currently a volunteer fireman so COVID-19 still has made an impact. Because of my job at the nursing home and classes being moved online, I don’t have much free time,” Lastinger said. “Basically, when I’m not at work I’m studying. It’s kind of chaotic but I make it work.”

Both of Lastinger’s jobs require extra safety precautions due to COVID-19.

“We take our temperatures when we get to work, and again when

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A

Hutchinson Community College alumnus, Amber Sawyer went on to become a Physician Assistant for orthopedic surgery.

She started off doing athletic training and ended up finding her way into the physician assistant career.

She loved the atmosphere at the time and said, “Probably mostly in the athletic department, I love how I was just welcomed in and I was part of the family.”

She still stays in contact with some of the people there and said she still feels like part of the family. People recognize her

from all kinds of sporting events because she played basketball at HutchCC and she is recognizable in the community.

Sawyer said she enjoyed being able to do physical training and playing a sport at the same time in college. As an athlete trainer, she had to arrive at school even before the fall athletes to complete her training.

“We went about four to five days before the athletes and we were trained on taping ankles and doing evaluations and stuff like that and then the football players came in and I was taking care of them doing physicals and taping ankles, so I got the blessing of being welcomed into that family,” Sawyer said.

She did travel with the teams and took

care of all the other athletes across different sports. Her husband ran track at the college too, so she got to be with him during some meets when she was doing athletic training stuff.

During her time at HutchCC, her head athletic trainer told her that she should look into the physician assistant career. She took him up on it and went to physician assistant school and now she gets to do two things she loves.

Sawyer said that when HutchCC had the women’s national basketball championship in Salina, she was asked to put together the medical professionals for the event and she credits it to having the athletic training back-

Starting

Brogen Willich, Reporter • Staff, Designer

on the

Sidelines

Student athletic trainer finds way to career as a physician assistant.

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of our incisions and I also fill out all the orders for patient meds and I also do a lot of lab work and checking up on the patients to make sure they are making progress on track,” Sawyer said.

She also puts on casts, reads x-rays, orders MRI’s/reads MRI’s, orders and does injections, tests, and more.

With the Coronavirus pandemic shutting down businesses and keeping people inside and scared, Sawyer is still working. They still have to deal with post op patients and physical therapy patients since they have a physical training section with all the tools they need. With the pandemic, the number of people seen on a daily basis has definitely

declined.

“We’re probably only seeing half the patients right now and we’re almost not doing any surgeries we’re doing less than half, probably about 75-80% less surgeries than before,” Sawyer said.

She enjoys what she does and is glad she went to HutchCC. She said she was lucky to have been a part of this growing school.

She also wants her two boys to explore the junior college options when they start looking at colleges as she feels they have very nice benefits.

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

ground. She also served on the Kansas State High School Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

“I spend two days in the office, two days in surgery, and Friday is kind of a make-up day,” Sawyer said about her weekly schedule. “I usually start with patients by 7:30-8 a.m. and I normally see 15 to 35 patients.”

That all varies upon weekend call ins and emergencies. She said on surgery days she is usually there by 7:30 a.m. because surgeries start shortly after then and she tries to be out of work by 6 p.m. every day.

Her usual day consists of surgeries and talking to patients.

“I assist in all the surgeries, I close all

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Relieving

STRESS

Stress levels are at an all time high but students find different ways to cope with it all.

Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer

▲Aly Beaman, Pretty Prairie, stretches before her workout. Beaman used working out to help her relax after a long day.

Photo provided by Aly Beaman

With the Coronavirus spreading, quarantine being enforced, and the start up of online schooling, a gigantic load of stress has been put on everyone’s shoulders.

Students packed up their dorm rooms and headed home while also having to worry about how their schooling was going to continue. This added increased stress levels to many students in different ways but is without a doubt affecting everyone in the community drastically.

People are beginning to struggle with everyday life as they’re becoming fearful of what is going to happen in the future.

Citizens and students everywhere are being affected by the changing environment around them. During these stressful times it is good to have ways to calm anxiety. Whether that’s playing an instrument, TikTok, video games, painting, or sports these activities, these activities can assist in helping people calm their growing anxiety.

Aly Beaman, Pretty Prairie, uses exercise as her means of stress relief.

“As an athlete, I always had an outlet for my problems through practice and games but since starting college I’ve had to find a new routine to keep myself healthy physically and mentally,” Beaman said. “I find just moving my body at least 15 minutes a day helps me stay focused and feel better throughout my

day. Stretching has become a huge part of my routine because work leaves me super sore and exhausted.”

Different people find their own individual ways when it comes to finding happiness during the stay-at-home order.

Michael Mains, Pretty Prairie, has multiple ways of coping with his anxiety during these scary times. He primarily uses hunting and music as his release for stress.

“College has always been a huge stressor for me. I’ve never really been that good at school honestly, but I do love my major. I sometimes just need to relax and I mostly do that with hunting,” Mains said. “With COVID-19 added on top of my usual classes and baseball it has caused everything to be even harder somehow.”

Mains along with many others here in Kansas use hunting as a stress relief because they’ve been doing it since they were little.

“I think the reason it’s so relaxing to me is just the peaceful surroundings. I don’t even need to have a successful hunt in order to be happy. I just love to be secluded in nature,” Mains said.

Another stress relief for Mains is music, it helps to calm his nerves. Mains said he’s been playing music since he was rather young and taught himself how to play all of his instruments.

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◄ Michael Mains, Pretty Prairie, shoots his rifle long range. Mains showed off his skills by shooting up to 400 yards.

Photo by Regan LaRue

▲ Mains calculates the adjustments on his 22-250 to hit his target at almost 500 yards. Mains explained the math of MOA while relieving stress outside of the house.

Photo by Regan LaRue ► Michael Mains, Pretty Prairie, plays his electric guitar. Mains played “Under Your Scars” by Godsmack.

Photo by Regan LaRue

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

“I’ve always loved music, it’s been a huge part of who I am all throughout my life,” Mains said. “When I play it helps me focus on something I truly enjoy. In all honesty, I’m really lucky to have the stress relievers that I have because with the stay-at-home order in place I can still practice my hobbies at home, away from others. I don’t have to go anywhere around a large group of people, I can just go to the woods or into our instrument room and feel at peace.”

Though these times are incredibly stressful and scary, students will always find a way to continue their lives and continue being happy, no matter what it takes.

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The Coronavirus Outbreak Global pandemic hits local businesses ever they can in their free time.

“I continued to run the store myself for the first two weeks taking the typical virus precautions, cleaning and disinfecting, and then closed the store when ordered by the city/state,” said Fiffe.

On March, 28, the Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly, put the stay-at-home order into place. Businesses, however, noticed a substantial drop in sales well before the stay-at-home.

“We lost a lot of business prior to closing our doors because our clients were cancelling their appointments in fear of getting the virus,” said Olivia Meyer, cosmetologist at Anima Bella.

Many businesses have been closed for many weeks now due to the virus. Bluebird Books and Allie’s Deli had to close their doors indefinitely. This has caused many businesses to come up with creative ways to help along business.

“I have several projects that I am working on around the store during this time so we are doing online virtual tours of the store and are offering free delivery or curbside pickup. We have had a few individuals take advantage of this offer but not enough to make any difference. We are not a high volume business so we have not felt the effects as badly as other higher volume businesses,” said Fiffe.

The Coronavirus Pandemic has affected millions of people from all walks of life. Local businesses feel the impact so when the time is right, support these businesses and be an active member in the community.

▼Streets in dowtown Hutchinson remain empty as many buisnesses are forced to close. Many businesses will reopen when the stay-at-home order is lifted.

Photo by Matthew Folkerts

Matthew Folkerts, Reporter & Designer

The COVID-19 pandemic that is wreaking havoc in places all across the globe has left many people unsure and uncertain about their future.

Over nine million U.S. citizens have filed for unemployment, but the number of unemployed could be much higher. Businesses across America have fired their employees so they could keep afloat and stop the spread of the virus. Millions of Americans have been affected by this virus, even the local businesses in Hutchinson.

“We began making changes three weeks ago by laying off our extra help when there was a noticeable drop in business.

We have four part-time employees but fortunately they are retired or have other means of support,” said Steve Fiffe, owner of RENU. Many businesses took matters into their own hands when this virus first came to light. Employees sanitize and clean what-

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Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

▲ RE-NU is an antique store that has been affected by the pandemic. RE-NU was forced to close, but have found different ways to interact with customers.

Photo by Matthew Folkerts

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Staying Together While Being Apart

Hannah Brummer, Reporter & Designer

How local youth groups are staying strong during these hard times.

Being forced to leave friends and go home in the middle of the semester was hard for a lot of students but it was the reality that hit campus in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students at Hutchinson Community College come from all over the United States, some even travel all the way from around the world. So this kind of change can be difficult. Some of the youth groups in Hutchinson found different ways to stay connected to students.

Kailey Waybright, Hutchinson, started Catholic Dragons also called Catholic Dragz, at the beginning of the school year.

“Father Michael, Father Aaron and I really wanted to get college kids involved at church because college can be hard for students coming from outside areas,” said Waybright.

She wanted to bring together students that may not have had a church in Hutchinson to call home. To reach out to students, Waybright put up fliers around the campus, posted on social media and had the priests of the churches in town to preach about it.

In 2013, Josh Goertzen started a Bible study in his parents’ living room that eventually expanded to Grace Bible Church into a group called CORE, where many HutchCC students attend every week.

“The young adults in our church got together and decided to start a Bible study. We had a desire to see young people come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and for those who already knew Him, to grow in their faith,” said Goertzen.

During the school year, Catholic Dragons meet every Monday night for about two hours.

“Catholic Dragons does a variety of things. First we start out with a meal provided by parishioners, then a 10-15 minute Bible study, then game night, trivia, or once a month we will have Mass and Adoration.

I leave group activities completely up to what they want to do. I’m always open for new and fun games or activities,” said Waybright.

The group always finds something fun and exciting to do. Every Wednesday night for hours CORE meets at Grace Bible Church for teachings, worship and small groups.

“We have various girls and guys Bible studies throughout the week. We’re all close friends so we’re always spending time with each other throughout the week as well,” said Goertzen.

This pandemic has had a very big impact on the world, not only negatively but in some positive ways as well. People have been finding more ways to stay in contact with family and friends they cannot see during the stay-at-home orders put in place by the Kansas governor.

CORE has also been doing games, video calls, and they have a big group text where they talk to each other daily.

“I think it’s caused people to push pause on their busy lives and spend time with the Lord. I also think it’s created a large desire to be with each other in person. I think negatively, Christians are created to live in community with each other so that part is challenging during this time,” said Goertzen.

Catholic Dragz has occasionally held Zoom meetings where they talk, catch up with each other and play online games like Pictionary.

“Since the pandemic started, Catholic Dragons did have to end it’s year because the diocese of Wichita cancelled all activities. Of course it had affected us negatively because of the bonds and friendships we’ve made,” Waybright said. “We were not ready for those to come to an end, especially with those who will be transferring to universities. But affecting us in a positive way by keeping us all safe.”

► Josh Goertzen preaches to the CORE group at a Wednesday night class.

CORE started in 2013 as a small Bible study in Goertzen’s home.

Photo provided by Josh Goertzen

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▼ Part of the students involved in CORE talk to each other on Zoom for their weekly Bible study. The online meeting provided a place for the women’s group to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo provided by Ashlyn Foster

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

▼ Catholic Dragons members pose for a picture after a night of Bible study, snacks and kickball. The group was started by a freshman at Hutchinson Community College in Sept. 2019.

Photo provided by Kailey Waybright

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“Track”ing down Coach Spies

Myranda Stika, Reporter & Designer

An inside look at the new track and field head coach’s first year at HutchCC. Many things have happened this semester at Hutchinson Community College and the track and field season wasn’t one of them.

The Dragon’s Tale magazine ‘tracked’ down Track and Field Head Coach Robert Spies to find out about his coaching career at HutchCC and how he’s staying connected with his athletes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coach Spies was hired as the head coach in May 2019. The following fall was the start of his first year at the college after the previous coach, Pat Becher, retired in May 2019.

“Mrs. Coach Spies and I came over to see HutchCC prior to applying and we really liked the campus and the community,” Spies said about his wife and one of the assistant coaches, Ermelinda Spies.

Spies shared a story of a conversation he had with Athletic Director Josh Gooch.

“Mr. Gooch had lunch with me last semester and he asked, ‘How has your first year been so far?’ My mid-to-late first semester reply back was, ‘It is going ok,’ which for me is very good considering the first year, first semester ins and outs of job adjustment for

▲ Track and Field Head Coach Robert Spies speaks to a group during the May 2019 press conference announcement of the new track and field coach. Coach Spies celebrated his first year at the college in May 2020.

Photo by HutchCC Sports Information

a new position; things went pretty smooth,” Spies said. “Now as I approach the backside of this semester with the current status of the Coronavirus pandemic, I find that in a time of difficulty you discover what an institution and its people are all about.”

Some challenges can come with being a track and field coach.

“Seems like I am in two places at once type of situations, coaching multiple events at different locations in town or trying to be two places at once at a track and field meet,” Spies said.

Being a coach is a very important job and it has many ups and downs.

“I decided to coach because it is a way to help develop individuals in providing ways to give a better direction, to assist with life’s struggles, to be there when and if ever

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student-athletes who are ready to be good students and also willing to work hard with their track and field endeavors starting the first day in the fall 2020,” Spies said. “If we can continue to improve each day we are one step up the ladder to having personal best performances, regional champions, broken school records and having additional national champions and All-Americans. A big goal for HutchCC track and field, as I want it to be every year, is to have a program our campus and community can be proud of supporting.”

In spite of the COVID-19 situation, everyone is trying to find their new normal.

Spies has worked hard to continue to recruit even without being present on campus during this time.

“The coaching staff and myself are always working and even though it is not physically on the track right now we have shifted gears to keeping in touch with our current studentathletes,” he said. “We have taken on a social distance recruiting approach which has lead us to improvising so future recruits can see our campus and get a feel for who we are as a college.”

Even though his first season at HutchCC didn’t go as planned, Spies has made the most of it.

“In light of everything that has transpired, I am proud to be a Blue Dragon and work for Hutchinson Community College. We have great people who work hard to assist one another and in times like we have now this is more important than ever.”

Coach Spies’ Achievements

4

time NCAA Divison II All-American

12

time conference champion in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Ranked

14th

in the world in the 60 meters, clocking a time of

6.57

seconds during his senior year at Fort Hays State University

14

years coaching experience

1st

year as a Blue Dragon Coach

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

needed,” Spies said. “Coaching is a very difficult profession as it is not just about the X’s and O’s it’s about the individuals you work with and where they go in life. You carry that responsibility as a coach.”

Spies enjoys coaching because he enjoys interacting with the athletes.

“The day-to-day interactions with the student-athletes,” he said. “Hearing about their day, what is going on in their lives, how their courses are going etc., of course I enjoy coaching too.”

There’s a lot of work that goes into sports on the coach’s and the athlete’s side. Spies wants his athletes to be “ready for life” after he has coached them.

“I like for our student-athletes to be ‘ready for life.’ Life comes to everyone no matter if we want it or not. My job above all else is to make sure that when the athletics are done there is a good person awaiting a better tomorrow and each has been given the tools to be successful in the next steps after HutchCC,” Spies said.

Each coach has a specific coaching style that works for them and their athletes.

“I have a mixed style of coaching. I don’t think in today’s society of young adults that it can be one way. Whether it be autocratic, democratic or holistic style of coaching there are situations that come up which require one or the other or possibly a combination.

I can say this though, I listen a lot to our student-athletes, even when they think I am not,” Spies said. “Our office is always open and our coaching staff is here to help as we develop a family perspective. This family-driven program gives individuals the support to work toward being their best in all facets of their lives.”

Spies is already planning for next season.

“We are in the process of keeping track of our current team as they are completing coursework online so that somewhat of a goal for next year in having the returners back with good academics. Another goal for next year is to have recruited to our college

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Sydney Henke, Reporter & Designer

Players and coaches spend 2020 season away from the ball field

▲ Official roster photo of Head Coach Ryan Schmidt Photo provided by HutchCC Sports Information

A team is made up of many components including players, coaches, managers and more. A coach is where it all begins though.

Originally from Valley Center, Ryan Schmidt has been coaching at the collegiate level for 18 years - 13 years as a head coach and five as an assistant coach. Before coaching, Schmidt played baseball for two years at Barton Community College and two years at the University of Kansas.

He started his collegiate coaching career at Fort Hays State and then went on to Barton. Schmidt first took a head coaching position at Pratt Community College and has been at HutchCC since 2013.

Schmidt is a strict believer in fundamentals. He works very hard to teach baseball fundamentals to his players.

“Honestly, it has drastically changed my everyday routine. I am used to office time, class, weights and practice or games in some type of order. We haven’t had that,” Schmidt said about how he was handling COVID-19. “I have a big family and they have been limited in their activities. I work from home most of the time and spend a lot of unplanned time with my family, which has been awesome.

The weather has been great so we have spent a lot of time outside.”

Schmidt is third on the Blue Dragon coaching wins list. With 12 seasons as a junior college head coach, Schmidt, is 374-316.

Schmidt is 267-145 in seven seasons at Hutchinson, which includes three Jayhawk West championships, two Jayhawk West Coach of the Year awards, five NJCAA All-Americans, four conference MVPs and two Pitchers of the Year and two players who earned National Player or Pitcher of the Year awards.

“For the most part, the players have handled it extremely well. It isn’t easy to have your season taken away a third of the way through it. In the grand scheme of things, it is a small sacrifice compared to

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Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

what others on the frontlines of the fight have had to endure. The NJCAA made a great decision to grant the players a year of eligibility back, which makes it a little easier to take,” Schmidt said about how his players were handling COVID-19.

The HutchCC Blue Dragon baseball team players are doing their best to stay in shape. They are finding creative ways to train because everything is shut down. They are preparing for summer ball in hopes that they will be able to play.

“We are taking this one day at a time,” Schmidt said about how COVID-19 would affect the fall baseball season. “We hope they can play this summer and come in ready to go for the fall. If they can’t play this summer, then we hope to play as much as we can in the fall. We will adapt and do whatever the situation calls for to prepare ourselves for a successful 2021 campaign.”

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Putting through Pandemics

The season comes to an abrupt end for the HutchCC golf team.

As the COVID-19 pandemic plays out, all students have experienced a hard time trying to process through the drastic changes professors being forced to change their teaching methods, students made to leave campus and switch to online education, and our sports teams facing the sad end to their seasons. With a heavy heart, those involved with Hutchinson Community College patiently await the day they will be allowed to return to campus.

While many students lost jobs and have been left no choice but to return home for the school year, HutchCC’s athletes have also experienced a great loss. Seasons ended, games cancelled, practices altered, their passion cut short due to social distancing and the stay-at-home order.

It can be hard to go through all of this and adapt to a new normality, but the best way any student will get through it is to try and stay positive with a strong mindset of the end goal.

Many athletes are still doing their best to squeeze in their own practices, luckily, golf is an easy one

Brooke Greene, Reporter & Designer

“We do not have team practices but I still go out and golf when I have the chance to do so because I am wanting to come back next year even stronger.” to practice while also staying safe. With plenty of space and fresh air, golf team player Tradgon McCrae, Plainville, keeps working on his skills.

“It has changed everything that I had been doing on a day-to-day basis. I was at college having a set schedule, going to class and then golf practice everyday and now I am at home sleeping

in and doing homework,” McCrae said. “I am practicing social distancing everyday.”

Some students are taking this time to practice new hobbies or enhance other skills. One must stay productive in such a state of global shut down. With sport fields, courts and arenas being somewhat difficult to get into, this gives athletes a moment to do other things they enjoy.

“I practice on my own two to three times a week but courses have been closed so it is hard to get out on them. My self isolation is going fishing,” said Tyler Trudo, Wichita.

The coaches are also struggling to get with the new setup. While the professors on campus can switch to online education, the coaches’ whole curriculum is put to a halt.

“The golf team’s season is over and COVID19 has put all of us on hold until further notice.

In the future, I think things will return to normal and we will be able to play golf again,” said Golf Coach Chris Young.

With the chaos and fear of getting sick being high on everyone’s minds, it is important to stay healthy and take precautions in public. Whether one chooses to wear a mask and cover up, or simply wash their hands more often, everyone is at risk and it is vital that we keep others in our thoughts.

Coach Young and his family have been practicing social distancing as well. He has two kids in college that have had to return home due to the virus.

“Personally, I am practicing social distancing, no going to gatherings of more than ten people and I wear a mask in public,” said Young.

This pandemic may be life altering to many, as college plans may have to change, and sports seasons not playing out, students have much to consider as they look further into their futures.

“We have three players returning including myself for next year. We are losing two guys on

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Y A T S

▼ Tradgon McCrae, Plainville, competes at a HutchCC golf tournament in Monkey Island, Okla.

He chipped to get up and down from par.

Photo provided by Tradgon McCrae

Dragon’s Tale • May 2020

our team from this year and it sucked seeing our season come to end without getting the chance to finish,” said McCrae.

Students may miss their friends, their teachers, and likely, most importantly, their old way of life.

“We can no longer golf together everyday. Our season was shut down earlier than we expected it to. I will no longer be able to see my teammates or compete with them. I only talk to them now on social media,” said McCrae.

With high hopes, all of this will one day come to and end. The halls of HutchCC will flood with students once more, with students practicing in the theater, painting in the studios, and playing on the field. The Coronavirus may have taken a lot from students, but it will not take our team spirit.

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