Not knowing is the hardest part for owners of Elgin volleyball club

When Sean and Cindy Gritzman decided to start Top Flight Volleyball Club 12 years ago in Elgin, they went in thinking big.

“We knew we wanted to be one of the largest clubs in the area,” Cindy said. “I didn't think we'd grow as quickly as we did.”

With about 600 club players, plus hundreds more who attend clinics or camps, having to close the doors affected more than just the few full-time staffers and the legion of 41 part-timers.

“We needed to think about not just how this impacts us but all of our members and families,” Sean said.

To keep everyone connected, they've used Tik Tok challenges, impersonate-your-coach contests, volleyball word and crossword challenges and online workout and college recruiting videos.

“Being in limbo is just tough. We don't know what to say, we don't know what to provide, and the families don't know what's to come,” Cindy said. “That's one of the hardest things - just not knowing.”

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