According to the calendar, spring sports such as track and field, softball, and tennis should be into their second week of practice and getting ready for the first meet and games this weekend. Instead, many are still practicing in the gym and when done, shoveling snow on the track, infield or softball field.
The traditional first track meet of the year is the Gene Hughes Meet in Corvallis. Although the crew at Corvallis has been working to clear the track, with snowblowers, and the throwing fields, with heavy equipment, a decision won’t be made until Wednesday or Thursday if the event will be made.
Athletic director Tyson Tucker said four tennis courts have been cleared off and that J & J Contracting came in and cleared the softball field. The softball players have been pitching and batting in the new building next to the softball field along with working out in the gym.
Nate Fry, the athletic director at Stevensville said their athletes are in a ‘hoping’ mode. They ‘hope’ to be able to get outside and play but it’s a week-by-week and even day-by-day event right now. Most of the athletes are practicing inside and doing what they can. The tennis courts are slowly being shoveled off but they are old and crumbling so it’s a very slow process. The softball field was cleared off and they are hoping the sun will help dry the fields off.
The Florence softball players and parents spent Saturday removing the rest of the snow from the field. But this is a new field and the backstops and dugouts still need to be completed before competition. Their first games are in Plains and Troy who are also dealing the snow.
“This is going to make a packed season,” said Florence athletic director Scott Marsh. “We actually have more games than basketball in a shorter amount of time. We have 22 regular season games where basketball only has 18 regular season games.”
The track team has also been practicing inside the gym but the distance runners have had a chance to get out on the walking/bike path. The golf team has also been doing some indoor practicing said Marsh. But this week they will be working on the golf simulator at Fireside. The first golf tournament was scheduled for March 30, but is now April 11 at Hamilton Golf Course.