Local teams adapt to spring white out

Since this spring sports schedule has played out more like a winter sports season, area coaches and activity directors needed to become as creative as artists and flexible as a circus performers when scheduling--or rescheduling--practices and events.

“The weather in western Nebraska is so unpredictable this time of year, it’s very tough for kids to get into a rhythm,” Leyton Activities Director James McGown explained.

Without exception, every sports schedule in this area has been affected by weather. While many events have been posponed many more have been cancelled outright.

“I’ve never seen it this bad,” said activities director Mike Brockhaus, in his seveth year at Sidney. “There have been times when one or two things have had to be changed in a week. But nothing like this when it seems we are postponing and cancelling events every week.”

While activity directors juggle dates and make phone calls, coaches face a slightly different problem. They are not only concerned with the lack of meet and game experience. They’re equally or more worried about the preparation wiped out by snow.

“The biggest thing is practice time. Nothing more negatively affects perfromance than a lack of practice time,” McGown said.

The Raiders golf team is happy to see the calander change to May even though it came with a day-long snow fall. In April Sidney has practiced only 14 days.

Additionally, between April 2, and April 25, the Raiders didn’t play any tournaments due to weather related postponements and cancellations.

“I feel sorry for the kids, especially Taylor (Barton), since he’s a senior,” said Sidney golf coach Chuck Christensen.

But Christensen biggest concern is for his younger players. The Raiders are carrying three freshman this year. Their lack of experience on the golf course under the pressure of a meet is a challenging obstacle for his young team.

One solution for Christensen is to send the varsity to the Kimball meet which was originally set up for the junior varsity. That meet, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until May 10.

“I just have to get the varsity some playing time before districts,” said Christensen.

The Raiders may also be able to reschedule the Gering meet, also postponed from today. Christensen hopes the meet can be played tomorrow.

After rain was threatened for Tuesday, Creek Valley Golf coach Cyd Hanson’s biggest reaction to the results was, “I’m just glad we were able to play,” she said.

The local track programs have also been playing catch up.

“I’m telling the kids that everyone’s in the same boat,” Potter-Dix track coach Robert Hilpert said. “(Our opponents) can’t practice any more than we can.”

Hilpert’s team has resorted to working indoors, which includes running on a hard floor and practicing the high jump and other field events in the gym. Potter-Dix coaches have also resorted to other creative methods to keeps its team in shape. The team occassionally does an “Insanity Workout,” which helps the Coyotes with 20 minutes of cardiovascular training.

“Once in a while we even do some fun-and-games just to keep indoor practice fun while getting a workout in at the same time,” said Hilpert.

The Potter-Dix track team has had only four full-team track meets.

“We’re still in the experimental stage as for who belongs where and who should be doing what,” Hilpert said. “You want to be done with the experimental stage before districts.”

The Coyotes have just one more scheduled track meet before districts on May 8. Potter-Dix and Leyton will host the Cheyenne County Invitational Friday at Sidney.

Since the weather has continued to be a problem even on May 1, cancellations become more likely than postponements.

“We just can’t reshcedule events this late in the season,” McGown said.