Spring Sports Adapt to Late Winter Weather and Lull in Action
Baseball was ready for the rest of the season after a five-game win streak, outdoor track & field was preparing for another championship run in the outdoor season and softball had nailed down some early season struggles.
Then, the weather hit.
With snow accumulations expected to surpass a foot and temperatures steadily dropping last week, it brought the spring schedule to a halt. Softball Head Coach Richele Hall said this type of weather is unusual for this time of the year.
“Last year and the year before I don’t think that we had early cancellations like this,” said Hall. “It’s just something we kind of have to deal with. It’s not typical but we just have to deal with it.”
Across the board, track & field canceled a meet and baseball and softball postponed multiple games. Baseball head coach Mike Humiston said backing up games will create some difficulties for the team.
“Not only is [practice] inside, boring and methodical and all that, but you start backing up games,” said Humiston. “When you start backing up games, you better have some pitching because now you have to go back to back to back to back – and not to mention our guys will miss a lot of classes.”
The week following winter storm Stella, the baseball team will start a grueling schedule, playing seven games in five days including three doubleheaders in order to get caught up.
The softball team also had to postpone a pair of games, and Hall said it is possible the doubleheader against Carlow University will not be made up.
For outdoor track & field, head coach Jason Falvo said the team opted out of a weekend meet at Muskingum University and had to move practices indoors.
“It just puts us back in the indoor track mindset – kind of how we trudge through the indoor track season,” said Falvo. “It’s familiar to the kids, although we prefer to be outside and in a facility for sure… [the weather has] affected us a bit.”
With all athletics moving indoors for practices, sophomore shortstop Keri Renzler said practices have become much less effective.
“I think it is definitely going to hurt us not seeing a live pitcher,” said Renzler. “Even just the fielding on the hard [gym floor,] the ball isn’t going to bounce like that on the dirt.”
Humiston said the baseball team will be able to work on hitting but most other aspects become obsolete in the gym.
“You don’t get a lot of practical experience in the gym – you don’t have 90 feet to run and to actually go through defensive drills,” said Humiston. “We have two cages so we get a lot of hitting in, but its enclosed hitting and it’s a different look when you get outside.”
Fortunately for track & field, the team is used to practicing indoors, however some parts of the squad, Falvo said, are unable to successfully practice indoors.
“We get back into an indoor mindset and it doesn’t mess with us just too, too much,” said Falvo. “In the throwing events, we can’t really practice javelin and discus inside, although we do have an indoor plan for that. It just changes a little bit of the mindset.”
Coming off a strong indoor track & field season, Falvo said he is not as concerned about missing some outdoor practices due to the weather.
“We’ve had such a good indoor season and such good indoor training right now,” said Falvo. “We are ahead of the game in terms of our training, especially in the sprints and distance components so we are alright.”
Despite the difficulties, softball has found ways to capitalize on practices in the gym. Hall said that it has given them enough time to correct some mistakes.
“We’ve been working on a lot of things and its given us time to nail things down that we saw in Florida that we needed to work on,” said Hall. “It’s actually given us more of a chance to work on it than if we just jumped back into the game when we came back up here.”
Renzler said that the additional time in the gym has helped some of the younger players on the team.
“I really think having [last] week in the gym to kind of grow and learn from some of mistakes in Florida [has helped],” said Renzler. “I think it was good for the freshmen to really feel comfortable and know their weaknesses.”
Baseball also remained productive in the gym, although Humiston said the key component is being able to transition back outside when the weather warms up.
“We’ve shown some productivity in the gym with our pitching, with our hitting and with our defense,” said Humiston. “We just have to make sure that we transition those things that we are doing well inside to outside. I think all of our guys are working very, very hard and are eager to get back outside and start playing some games.”
Another downside to having to move indoors, said Renzler, is that it is easier to lose focus although the team has done a good job keeping the right mindset.
“I think coach has been happy with how focused we have been in the gym,” said Renzler. “I know sometimes – even in just the preseason – you are in the gym and its cold out; it’s hard to stay focused when you are not playing on dirt.”
When the team starts to lose concentration, Renzler said individuals have been able to step up and get the team back on track.
“I think this week we have been focused, we haven’t lost that focus and if we do lose that focus, someone is always there to make an outstanding play in the gym – a diving play, turn a double play,” said Renzler. “Someone is always there to pick us up if we make an error.”
For other conference schools in the area, most of them spent the week inside as well, however Falvo said it varies for track & field.
“Other schools in the conference have different setups so everybody is going to handle [the weather] a little bit differently,” said Falvo. “All of us have access to different things that help us through the process, but you are going to get back to what you’ve done for indoor.”
One downside, Humiston said, with the early spring break for the Yellow Jackets, it means that a fair number of other teams are in Florida for their spring break during the difficult weather.
“Right now a lot of those teams are down in Florida, they’ve gone down on their spring break – and yet, here we sit,” said Humiston.
Hall said that a majority of other conference softball teams had to change plans due to the weather as well.
With the setback in the schedule, Falvo said he does not expect it to have a lasting impact on the team.
“We’re okay,” said Falvo. “I don’t think it will set us back in any way. I think it’s a nice break for the kids.”