The gyms and hallways filled with spring sports athletes as practices were forced inside since the start of the season due to winter weather. Snow and ice covered the fields and outside courts, making conditions dangerous.
This is not the first year the girl’s soccer team has had to tryout and practice indoors.
“It’s a smaller setup,” head coach Arlan Vomhof said. “It’s difficult because I can’t see their true talent.”
The first soccer game of the season was scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 against Olathe North High School at their district field. The game was rescheduled to Friday, March 29 at Olathe North’s school field which has turf rather than grass.
The team had three practices together on a real field before their first game.
“I absolutely hate going into the first game without seeing more than six players on the field at a time,” Vomhof said. “They’re more excited than anything, but just as uncertain as I am.”
The track and field team also experienced limited practicing due to weather.
Most events have been able to still practice indoors, but, according to senior Emily Brigham, the pole vaulters in particular have been the most affected.
“We’ve never really been in this situation where we can’t practice outside at all. It’s especially been a big deal for pole vaulters because we can’t practice our skills and techniques inside,” Brigham said. “I would say pole vaulter are the most affected by the inability to practice outside. All we can do are bunch of drills, like walk with our poles and run. There isn’t much we can do, so everyone is just trying to do the best they can.”
Three weeks into the season, players are starting to struggle without their own green grass, sand and tar runway under their feet to comfort them. For the pole vaulters, even with clear skies on the way, practice cannot resume for them until the sun shines and dries up the pits.
“Usually by now we would’ve been jumping outside and practicing, but this year we can’t do any of that. And we can’t practice our skills inside,” Brigham said. “Our pole vault pit is like underwater, half the runway and the grass around it is all swamped.”
Even with the rough beginning to the season, coaches and players are trying to stay positive. Although the first meet was postponed, players are using this to their own advantage.
“I was glad the meet was postponed because pole vaulters haven’t practiced at all outside and it’s not something you can just wing. You actually have to practice,” Brigham said. “I’d say it was definitely a benefit to us so we have time to actually prepare and practice once we can go outside.”
