Spring Sports on Ice As Winter Lingers

So far, the spring season has been a bit of a non-starter for the Shakopee Sabers.

Over the last seven days, about two dozen games have been cancelled and many others rescheduled, moved or postponed to account for .

"Looks like they're not going to play much," said Shakopee Activities Director John Janke.

When contacted on Monday, Janke had been hard at work, recreating the sports schedules. So far only a handful of tennis matches and adaptive meets have come off. At the time, Janke said there was a chance that Shakopee could play in non-conference baseball game with Minnetonka on Friday, but another onslaught of nasty weather may put the kibosh on that as well.

At this point, games have been pushed out to the last week of April.

Janke said that such prolonged interference from the weather is unusual, even in Minnesota. The only spring that compares is perhaps 2003, when 20-plus inches of snow fell in April. Even then, though, the snow melted quickly and the fields had been playable before it happened, Janke said. 

Given the circumstances, some have tossed out the possibility of extending the spring season by two weeks and pushing state tournaments into June, the Minnesota State High School League reported on its Facebook page. The MSHSL staff vetoed the motion, however.

"Given the number of changes that would need to be addressed at subsection, section, and state tournament sites, as well as family plans, summer jobs, camps and clinics, and other summer activities that would be conflicted, it doesn’t seem as if that’s an option that could realistically be considered," the staff wrote.

To maximize opportunities to compete, MSHSL did offer a few suggestions:

• Teams are allowed to play until the end of the season (the final day of the state tournament in that sport) even if your team is eliminated from the tournament. Don’t forget this because these extra days provide a great opportunity for you to work with your younger players who will be returning next year.
• Change your dual contests to triangular or quadrangular ones in order to allow your players to compete against more teams. In golf, that may mean playing 9-hole matches rather than an 18-hole match or inviting twice as many teams to an invitational and only play 9 holes so that everyone has a chance to compete.
• BE SURE TO USE EVERY AVAILABLE SATURDAY for your events. We know many people don’t like to do that, but given the end of the school year and the testing schedule, this is one of the best options you have.
• Double headers in baseball and softball may be a great option to complete two games in one day. THE NFHS HAS AGREED TO LET US PLAY 5 OR 6-INNING DOUBLE HEADERS. Or…you can schedule two 7-inning games. Play the first 7 inning game and do your best to complete the second game. If the second game ends early due to weather conditions or darkness, it can be considered a regulation game if 4 ½ or 5 innings have been completed.
• Conference play could be a single round rather than a double round. You would still have a conference champion and be able to schedule non-conference games.
• Compress the section tournament playoff format. In other words, don’t s-t-r-e-t-c-h out the playoffs. That change by the Region Committee will allow schools to have additional dates in May and early June to play games that have been lost this spring.
• You have to play when and where the field is ready. This is especially true for Lacrosse as well as baseball and softball. That may mean that you “go to where the field is ready” rather than wait for home games. Remember, this year is different, and while home games are important, playing the game is, perhaps, more important.
• Tennis matches can utilize adjusted scoring for the third set and use the “Super Tie-breaker” format.
• Track and Field meets are considered official meets even when specific field events, such as the discus, cannot be conducted due to the condition of the venue. Mutual agreement must be reached prior to the start of the meet and no team points will be awarded for those events that cannot be conducted. (Rule 2-1-6)