At the end of January, a snow storm brought around two feet of snow to Bergen County, New Jersey. A few weeks later, another huge snow storm hit at the end of February and brought another two feet of snow. As the winter sports season is coming to an end, the spring season is beginning. Since spring sports are held outside, there are a few problems with the snow on the ground.
Mackenzie Cowan, a sophomore at NVD who plays softball all year round, gives her thoughts on the softball season starting while there’s still snow on the ground.
“I am kind of annoyed that there’s still snow on the ground but there’s nothing we can do, so it will just be an interesting way to start the season,” Cowan said.
Starting the season with snow on the ground is definitely typical. It can be frustrating for some athletes who are ready to jump right into the season.
Aviv Mosayov, a senior at NVD who is a track and field varsity athlete in fall, winter, and spring, is feeling frustrated when it comes to the snow on the ground.
“I do feel frustrated, and that frustration mostly comes from the fact that nobody can control it. Snow will come down, and none of us can do anything to stop that,” Mosayov said.
With the snow still on the ground, games, meets, and more are impacted because athletes can’t use the fields. This means games and meets won’t be held around the time they normally would be. Could this mean the season will be extended? Cowan seems to think otherwise.
“I do not think the season will be extended because I know Coach will move around the games in a way that is convenient for us,” Cowan said.
Not only is it hard for the snow to melt on dirt fields, but the track is difficult too. Mosayov says this is the most challenging part of transitioning from winter to spring with snow on the ground, especially if the snow impacts how players and athletes are prepared.
“I do not feel prepared enough in the slightest. Running on the road and running on the track are two very different beasts, especially when running around in spikes. This winter season my team got to train on our track maybe twice, before the snow started, and it’s been affecting everyone,” Mosayov said.
Robert Petrella, a chemistry teacher as well as the head football and softball coach at NVD, discussed his point of view as a coach for the spring season and how he feels about the snow on the ground.
“This isn’t really something that’s unusual. When I first started coaching, spring season always started the first Friday in March. In those days it wasn’t unusual to have to practice indoors for the first week or two. For us, with the way the weather looks, we might actually luck out this year and have some good weather our first few weeks,” Petrella said.
Being unable to practice and play outside comes with having indoor practices until athletes are able to play outside.
“The biggest annoyance I would say about indoor practices is just dividing up gym time. All of the spring coaches get along, and we work pretty well together. But the fact is I believe there’s seven different programs sharing two gyms and hallways, so it does get tight for practice space,” Petrella said.
That comes with not being able to do certain drills or routines that athletes would normally do outside.
“The biggest part about being indoors is probably outfield play and just full team defense,” Petrella said.
