Mother Nature derails spring sports ... again

A couple of weeks ago it looked like the spring sports season would be right on track. Then colder-than-average temperatures and an April snowstorm combined to cause cancellations and set schedules back by as much as two weeks.

In Cloquet, activities director (AD) Paul Riess has been busy trying to

reschedule games and meets and in some cases find new locations for events. As of Tuesday morning, Riess has had to deal with trying to reschedule or cancel eight different sporting events so far this spring.

"It is frustrating because you want to get teams outside and playing games," Riess said. "We use email a lot to reschedule games, but sometimes it is easiest just to call other ADs and go through the dates."

Carlton has had nine cancellations so far, South Ridge six, Barnum 12 and South Ridge six.

In Esko, AD Chad Stoskopf has the same problems as his colleagues and estimates that between varsity level athletics and on down to seventh-grade athletics, he has rescheduled as many as 25 events.

South Ridge Panther AD Tony DeLeon - like many other small school ADs - has not only been busy during school hours, but on the weekends as well.

"I don't get any extra time or designated hours specifically for all AD affairs," said DeLeon. "I handle them before, during and after class. I spent about 4-5 hours on Sunday dealing with games for Monday and 2-3 more on Monday setting up just one game for Tuesday."

Wrenshall AD Jeremy Zywicki is in the same boat.

"We've had to cancel two track meets, three baseball games, and four softball games so far," Zywicki said. "I'm probably dealing with cancellations and trying to figure out dates to reschedule for at least an hour or more out of my day."

It doesn't end at just rescheduling games and meets.

Game officials and meet workers need to be scheduled and transportation also needs to be scheduled. One detail missed can cause a host of other problems and the domino effect can come into play.

"I would say that 50 percent of the school day is spent dealing with

weather-related issues and that is a safe guess, but these changes are worked on before and after school as well," Esko's Stoskopf said. "My coaches help by anticipating the postponements and seeking both warmer conditions elsewhere or turf availability (Superior, Wade, Proctor). Transportation, officials' availability, and consideration of other school activities goes into most decisions. It's MCA [Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments] testing time, so limiting interruptions to the school day is paramount."

Barnum AD Dave Duesler has faced numerous challenges this spring.

"So far I have had cancel four track meets, five baseball games, four softball games, and one golf meet. The track meets and golf meets don't get rescheduled," Duesler said. "The baseball and softball games we make up some of them but not all of them. In a small school you just don't have enough pitchers for baseball to have more than 3 games in a week so some games just don't get rescheduled."

For small schools like Barnum, one of the main issues is finding enough bus drivers to deliver kids to games.

"The umpires are one issue to deal with when rescheduling, but for me the biggest issue is busing. We have only two substitute bus drivers so I have to be careful to not have too many teams being on the road on one particular night," he said, adding that elementary school field trips can also mean he has only one bus available. "I have had to get very creative through the years in order to find ways to get teams to different places come springtime."

For first-year ADs, things can get a bit overwhelming if they are not prepared for the onslaught of weather-related problems, but in Carlton, first-year AD Ben Midge is settling in nicely and continues to work toward solutions.

"Baseball has had four cancellations, softball three cancellations, and varsity track and field have had two meets canceled," explained Midge. "While it is frustrating to have continual changes, and losing [the opportunity to play] games, it is not the most difficult part, because we only cancel when there is no option to play the game, and I think people understand that the elements are out of our control."

When asked if it is the most difficult part of his job as activities director, Riess had some interesting thoughts.

"It is not the most difficult part of the job because there are only so many days in the season and sometimes the weather does not cooperate," said Riess. "It is probably the most frustrating because everybody - including athletes, coaches, parents, fans, field crew, etc. - wants the teams to start playing games."

So the question is: Are the teams ahead or behind in their normal spring schedules?

"We are in about the same position we were last year," Riess said. "I believe we had a big snow storm on April 15 last year, which put us behind. Some years we can start earlier than others and ADs do what we can to help get the games in."

DeLeon - like all the local ADs - says Mother Nature needs to cooperate.

"It has been difficult due to the weather being decent enough to play a few games, then bam, unplayable again," DeLeon said. "You have to roll with the punches or you will go crazy.

"Each season I anticipate and schedule for this type of weather. As for me and the rest of my fellow ADs, we feel terrible for the student athletes. After the time spent, they and the coaches deserve a season where they will have a positive experience. Our job is to do the best we can to make that happen. It's a difficult feat, but with everyone working together and keeping the safety of the student athletes first, everything seems to work out at the end."

With all the crazy weather and the postponements you would think that activities directors would all be pulling their hair out and getting frustrated, but all those interviewed for this Pine Knot News article were quite relaxed and at ease with the situation. Each of those interviewed realize it is just part of the job and part of what we deal with in northern Minnesota in the spring.