Track and field and boys tennis are on schedule to start their seasons this weekend. The boys baseball season is on the calendar for a season-opening start at home April 4. The girls softball team is slated to hit the field that same day only on the road.
The boys golf team is hoping to host a home meet April 7 and the girls on April 10 at Pebble Creek, despite not having set foot outdoors once yet to practice. The girls lacrosse team has a few weeks to wait before their start of the season (April 15 at home).
The problem is — for the second year in a row — the weather.
Last year’s late spring was troublesome for the teams as well as AD Dave Niemi, who had to scramble each and every week to push games and meets back because of snow, cold and wet fields.
It looks like more of the same for this year (at least so far).
Take a look around. As of late this week, all area ballfields, tracks, tennis courts and golf courses are covered in that nasty white stuff. Forecasts show a nice 50° day Sunday, but temperatures tumble back to the 30s Monday.
Niemi says Becker is blessed to have the fieldhouse as an option for tennis and track and field events, but that doesn’t help the situations the golf teams, softball and baseball teams and lacrosse teams have with playing outdoors. Until the snow melts and the frost line vanishes, no activity will be occurring on the fields anytime soon.
If the conditions aren't right to play outside, which they likely won't be by April 4, games will be postponed and Niemi will again have to consider doubling up games or eliminating them in order to fit the season in before school lets out in June.
Look for the Citizen newspaper’s annual spring sports preview the weekend of April 12 where we’ll feature interviews, rosters and team photos of each spring team.
