Continuing wet weather puts damper on sports

In all the years I’ve been involved with spring sports, I’ve never seen anything quite like this.

The wet weather this spring has prevented area prep softball and baseball teams from getting on the field to practice or better yet play a game.

With the season beginning about mid-March, several area teams have only managed to play a game. This is because of wet field conditions this spring that causes constant cancellations.

And, some teams have only been able to play a couple of games so far this season.

Even tarps on a field won’t work if the rain continues constantly while the game is in progress. And, not that many schools have tarps anyway for their ball diamonds.

For sure, the softball and baseball teams with the pitching depth will come out the winners now. This will be mainly because when the weather does break, teams will be trying to catch up for those cancellations, especially conference games, and will be scheduling a lot of back-to-back games.

With the Illinois High School Association’s new rules on how many pitches a baseball pitcher can throw, that further adds a burden to teams with a lack of pitching depth. 

About the only sport that might be able to function on wet field conditions during this crazy weather would be soccer.

Track requires a good dry field for long jumping, high jumping as well as discus and shot put throwing events. The running and hurdle events can still be held on those asphalt tracks that usually surround a school’s football field, but that would be the only events feasible in this type of weather.

The wet weather surely has to break soon so the teams can begin the catching up process.

It’s too bad that postseason regional tournament play can’t be postponed or moved back. However, once those dates are set before the season begins, it usually means they’re on the books forever.

Teams will just have to adjust to the weather and  for certain those teams with that pitching depth in both softball and baseball will fare a whole lot better under these conditions.

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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