Not for the faint of heart

A
 couple of weeks ago, I jokingly blamed soccer and track for snow storms because it looked as though the only days that were wintery-like were days when contests were scheduled to take place. 
It looks as though I was hasty in my accusation.
I know that April showers bring May flowers, and I know that we need moisture desperately, but come on Mother Nature! Do we need to have that moisture come in the form of snow? We’ve had more snow since spring began than we did all winter!
Besides being weary of seeing white cover the ground, I also feel bad for the spring sports athletes. I have always admitted to being a fair-weather sports fan and growing up in this part of the country that doesn’t mean taking part in outdoor activities in the spring because she is such a fickle season around here. 
There are a lot of people, though, who are tougher than me when it comes to participating in the sport they love, and I give them mad props for sticking to it.
When I woke up Monday morning to notices of a two-hour late start for school because overnight the sky had dumped on us again, I was at first happy to be able to snuggle back down under the covers, but then I thought about those poor kids who play their sports outside.
Snow-covered fields and a snow-covered track make it difficult, to say the least, to practice outside. 
You’re not going to pole vault inside the Dogie Dome, although with the ceiling the way it is in there, I suppose that it would be possible if it weren’t for having to move the landing pit indoors.
I certainly think someone would have something to say if Coach Ostenson had sand brought into either gym for long jump practice.
It’s also a little tough to practice hurdles — either the 100 or the 300 meter version — when you can only work on getting over a couple of hurdles inside.
Throwing practice would also be impossible, especially for the discus. I’m not sure anyone would appreciate a disc being hurled into any wall inside the building.
I guess you could practice hand-offs for relay purposes, but as far as getting the feel of any race it’s just not going to happen when you’re inside.
Then there’s soccer. A gym certainly does nothing to prepare players for the size of the soccer pitch. 
It’s nearly May, which means that there are only a few weeks remaining in either sport’s season, and while everyone is grateful that they are getting to compete this year after losing 2020, it has to be frustrating to have to be battling snow at this point in the season.
Track missed out on Friday’s meet, and if it is made up it will mean they will have at least two meets in a week.
Soccer had two conference matches postponed over the weekend, so those contests also have to be made up. As such, they will have three games each in the next couple of weeks. That doesn’t leave much time for practicing anything that needs addressed.
All of that is also dependent on not having any more competitions delayed due to having a foot or two of snow dumped on us.
I’m telling you that anyone who participates in outdoor sports in the Wyoming springtime needs to be given a great deal of respect, because it takes a pretty tough cookie to face all that this temperamental season has to throw at them.
Spring sports are definitely not for the faint of heart!