by Lucy Lu
Spring sports have been off to a slow start, held back by the duration of record-setting snow and temperatures, while trying to find makeshift places to practice.
Of all three seasons, spring sports are almost always affected the greatest, but are usually only delayed a week at most, according to athletic department head Tom Guisti.
However, this winter’s extreme weather conditions has left sports fields on the verge of flood and the outdoor track buried. In turn, the Bay State League and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) were forced to make adjustments to game schedules as well as the cut-off dates for teams to qualify for tournaments.
Athletic directors from various schools met to discuss individual situations and season schedules March 18. “It is very important to level the playing ground so that no team is at a competitive advantage or disadvantage”, Giusti said. “Different towns have different facilities, and we need to understand that. Just because we may have our track cleared doesn’t necessarily mean others do.”
Amidst the unexpected circumstances, Giusti nevertheless strives to make the most out of the situation. “We can turn these negatives into positives”, he said. “Kids who are starting off get a more thoughtful look at the team, and overall, everyone is able to strengthen their fundamental skills for games because of the extra practice time.”
Updated game schedules can be found at schedulestar.com.