Like many programs across the state, the Pleasantville Trojans’ baseball and softball teams were dealt a less-than-favorable hand during the 2020 campaign. Head Coaches Sheldon Card and Jan Haugen saw their teams finish with 4-11 and 7-10 records respectively. Despite this, Activities Director Joel Allman was simply happy for his programs to hit the field.

“I know talking with both coaches before the season they were both thrilled to get to play ball games, you know? It was a young group. That’s putting them in kind of a tough spot. We would have liked to improve the win total. I think that both of our coaches are competitive and they would have said that, but ultimately it’s a blessing that we got to just play in the first place.”

Allman, who is entering his first year as Pleasantville’s Activities Director, also states that both Card and Haugen were just as thrilled as he was.

Safety measures were also heavily followed during these tough times. According to Allman, temperatures were recorded and screenings were done regularly. There was also an adjustment in traveling protocols as schools were limited to a certain number of students who could travel on the same bus.

Regardless of the change and unusual start to his tenure, Allman shares the same feeling as everyone else in Trojan country–just being able to play the game is certainly a blessing in its own right.

Pleasantville kicks off their football season at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Friday, August 28th. Hear select football games from the Trojans this fall on the KNIA3 stream at KNIAKRLS.com. The Trojans volleyball team is in action on Tuesday, August 25th at home vs. Earlham, while cross country begins on the 24th at Knoxville.