COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of daily life during the past eight months. Throughout the local community — and the Trinity High School community — coping with COVID has been paramount. 

One of the most obvious examples of the impact of COVID on the local economy is seen in the restaurant business, affected tremendously by the limiting and at times the stopping of indoor dining.

Rocco Cadolini, owner of the restaurant ROC in Louisville and in New York City, said, “There are good days and bad days. Overall, it is okay for me. ROC is following all the necessary precautions and protocols mandated by the governor. We have already experienced the tragedy of Sept. 11 — our NYC ROC was located five blocks from the World Trade Center — Hurricane Sandy, blackouts, and other recessions. If there is one thing, I learned, this too shall pass.  Just stay positive.”

A positive attitude has helped Trinity teachers throughout the first semester, which has seen online teaching, hybrid classes, and now back to online instruction.

Trinity chemistry teacher Mr. Mark Amick prepared for all classroom situations. Despite teaching a demanding course with a mountain of information to process, among Amick’s ways of working with the situation has been to shorten his assessments.

Amick compared learning the technology for online learning to understanding the work of a great artist.  He said, “Whenever anyone shows (OneNote) to me, it looks amazing. It looks like I saw the David sculpture and Michelangelo says, ‘That’s how it works,’ but I’d like to see how the block of marble turned into that.”

Working with new technology and programs, along with COVID protocols, has taken teaching into uncharted directions.

Theology teacher Mr. Scott Holzknecht, who is also a cross country/track coach, said of the need to work with the technology changes,  “It feels like if you’ve ridden a bicycle for a long time, and then someone says, ‘Here’s a unicycle.’ It’s similar, but different.”

Holzknecht has tried to convey to his students the need to adapt. He tells them to “assume that things are going to have to change. Try not to get too comfortable.”

Just as the football team, now in the third round of the playoffs, is dealing with the complexities of COVID protocol, two of Trinity’s other KHSAA sports, golf and soccer, successfully managed to complete their seasons — the golf team earning a state championship.

The soccer Rocks had their fair share of dealing with the difficulties that COVID brought everyone. The team wasn’t going to let  the virus ruin the season for them as they chased a title.

Gehrig Hagedorn was among the seniors on the team who worked to lead the underclassmen Rocks. Hagedorn said the team strived to “build together that team camaraderie.”

The team had to practice in smaller groups before the season started.  They only had one week of preseason, making it “tough to get together as a group as we did in the years past,” according to Hagedorn.

Social distancing and wearing masks made the season an unusual one for the 9-5-1 Rocks, who reached the region semifinal game.

COVID made things a lot more stressful for the team, but in the end they were just thankful to be able to play alongside their fellow brothers.

Hagedorn said, “Once we’re on the soccer field, everything’s normal, and you should just get out there and play the game you love to play.”

After going through an entire season following COVID guidelines, the golfers reached the pinnacle of their sport.  The final day at state was finally here. The weather was hot and the team was ready.

The Shamrocks did not get off to the start they were looking for as a gap in the lead faded away by the back nine. Taylor County stayed strong as the Rocks knew the deficit they were going to have to overcome.

A turnaround was needed. Right on cue, Michael Long fired three birdies in a row to kickstart the Rocks’ comeback. The entire team battled back to finish four shots better than Taylor County.

In the year of COVID, the golf Rocks were the best in the state for the first time since 2003.

Soccer head coach Dale Helfrich summed up a major lesson learned throughout this pandemic. He told his team frequently, “Every day is a blessing when we step out here.”