Spring sports are beginning their seasons, yet are finding issues with impacts from the long winter weather. 

Minnesota winters are cold and long, which has taken a toll on the beginning of the season for spring sport athletes at Park. The teams said they are feeling the impacts of being indoors as they are working to prepare for future competitions, without knowing whether or not they will occur as scheduled. Players and coaches said they are eager to make their way outside, with the weather beginning to improve field, road and track conditions. 

Track head coach Wyatt Sche said due to the climate in Minnesota, the athletes are used to these changes. 

“It’s spring in Minnesota so it’s nothing abnormal, but the weather keeps (the team) inside,” Sche said. “Compared to last year, I’m hoping it’s not that bad because we’re inside so much.”

The beginning of the season for softball, baseball, track, lacrosse and tennis caused the teams to begin indoors for the first weeks of their season. According to several athletes, they are feeling the impact physically and mentally, as they feel confined indoors. 

Junior Vincent Cormier said the track team is collaborating to keep everyone from feeling discouraged by these setbacks. 

“I try to remind everybody that they’re doing a good job and see how everybody’s doing,” Cormier said. 

Sophomore Rowan Jansen says the softball team is having difficulty preparing for games as the team is unable to appropriately prepare for games in the gyms. 

“We haven’t been able to practice outside yet because the fields are not ready,” Jansen said. “It’s overall really hard because you can’t take ground balls and get (the team) prepared for games.”

Within the past week, most teams have been able to move outdoors. Athletes said they are eager to get to work, but are still running into issues finding proper field space and dealing with the pressure of their upcoming competitions. 

Sophomore Bella Miller said that the weather has made the softball girls want to play outdoors more than usual. 

“Everyone’s just ready to be outside — having to share the gyms with other sports makes (the team) want our own space,” Miller said.  

As the weather and field conditions improve, teams have been outdoors and have been able to fit a few competitions in. You can stay up to date with upcoming competitions Park’s spring sports compete in at gopark.org.