T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown Community College forward Eva Zaragoza (35) puts up a shot against DMACC during their women’s basketball game in the Emerson Classic on Nov. 15, 2019, in Marshalltown. Zaragoza is one of two returning sophomores on the MCC women’s basketball team, which is scheduled to begin its season with a home game against Southwestern on Jan. 20, 2021.

As the calendar turns over into 2021, it signals the (hopeful) beginning of what will be one of the busiest winter sport seasons in the history of Marshalltown Community College.

Starting January 9 with the Tiger men’s basketball team taking on Iowa Central Community College in Marshalltown, three of five sports to be played in the winter months will kick off — men’s and women’s basketball as well as volleyball. Baseball and softball start playing in February, with baseball’s first game Feb. 20 against Kansas City-Kansas CC and softball’s first matchup scheduled for Feb. 27 against the same opponent.

The National Junior College Athletic Association was the reason for this, as junior college sports were moved from the fall due to COVID-19 concerns and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference agreed. The next question became: when and how will teams be able to play in the winter?

MCC Athletic Director John Kriebs said the work on that front began immediately after the initial announcement, as the ICCAC tried to find a way to get games in during the 2020-21 school year.

“We’ve been on phone calls together almost every other week,” Kriebs said. “It was immediate. Everything is documented on how we’re going to play this by ear, even like the number of student-athletes that you have to compete with. You have to have a certain number to be able to compete. We’ve really got all the I’s dotted and T’s crossed, but there’s still things that will come up.”

The wait has been long and difficult for the players and coaches alike, Kriebs said, as their instincts are to want to play as much as possible.

The wait from the fall to the winter has, however, given MCC and the ICCAC a chance to observe from afar the methods and protocols put into place by major colleges and conferences in football, volleyball and basketball among other fall sports.

One thing that likely will not translate is game postponements and the rescheduling of contests due to COVID concerns. Those games, if disrupted or unsafe, will most likely be canceled, Kriebs said.

“Right now we’re not looking at doing any makeup games, we can’t afford it,” Kriebs said. “It’s like a domino effect, so that’s one of the things that I think is gonna be tough.”

The season will be crazy for administrators, coaches and players alike as the ever-changing situation with COVID-19 in the Midwest means there will still likely be changes and shifts in protocols and games during the season. As of now plans are “up in the air” as to whether or not fans will be allowed to attend the games.

Kriebs said things have been almost changing by the week at this point, as the path forward has also been dictated by college presidents and conference commissioners as well as the athletic directors. He gave credit to MCC administration members like Provost Robin Lillienthal for being supportive.

Kriebs said, though, that the hope is a smooth season with as few interruptions as possible. He’s excited to see his student-athletes in actions.

“It’s really going to be interesting but I’ll say this, the coaches are really excited about it,” Kriebs said. “Everybody is just so tired, they just want to get some games in and get some competition in. It’s going to be very positive, even though it’s going to be busy. It’s going to be awesome just because we’ve got the opportunity to compete.”