DALTON, NE - A Leyton Student who started a petition to get her high school's volleyball coach her position back addresses the district's school board on the topic Monday night.

Sage Rummel told the school board her petition to get former volleyball coach Jodi Craig her position back got over 650 signatures. That was after deleting any duplicates in case people signed both the online and physical petitions.

That number is greater than the populations of Dalton and Gurley, the two towns that make up the Leyton School District combined.

"Our community is left wondering why our coach is not our coach anymore," Rummel said in her speech. "In addition, we have not received any type of reason."

Rummel told the school board she hopes the number of signatures shows the group how passionate the community is about the issue.

"At the end of the day, our wish is to have her with us on the bench this fall," Rummel said. "We are asking you to please reconsider your decision regarding this issue."

After her address to the council, Rummel was met with a standing ovation from teammates, students and other community members who had come to the meeting to support Craig.

School Board President Jed Benish briefly acknowledged Rummel's comments after her speech.

"You put a lot of work into this," Benish said. "I appreciate that. I appreciate you standing up for something you believe in."