The Cold Can’t Stop Us

Photos by Ally Griffith

Spring sports like baseball, track and golf have had to adjust tryouts and practices due to the low temperatures and harsh wind chills. Baseball and softball used a roll-up gym divider curtain to make room for both teams, soccer worked to alternate times for practices and tennis used the fifth-floor halls to practice rallying the ball, using tape as a makeshift net.

Since Feb. 27, the low temperatures have made it impossible for sports to continue daily practices due to fear of injury. Athletic trainer Dakota Gelsheimer mentioned how athletes risk injury because it’s harder to warm up properly in the freezing weather.

Athletic Director Debbie Katzfey communicates with coaches to schedule different practicing times inside the school. She has yet to work with athletic directors from other schools to reschedule games and tournaments this season.

“When [the Shawnee Mission School District] has a snow day, they determine based on the safety of the students whether or not they can go through with practices,” Katzfey said.

The district has canceled all activities and practices eight days this season due to a significant amount of snow.

This is baseball coach Will Gorden’s second year coaching at East, but he hasn’t experienced a snow day during tryouts, until this year. Due to this, Gorden was forced to move the second day of tryouts indoors and had to make do by using the hitting room downstairs. According to Gorden, it’s difficult to evaluate players when schedules changes occur, leading to drill changes as well.

Gorden still goes outside if the weather is forty degrees and above. Even though Gorden says that it takes longer for them to warm up, none of his players have suffered an injury thus far.

According to Track coach Ronald Stallard, the cold weather has been an inconvenience for practices, but it also increases the risk of injuries in young student-athletes. The wind and cold combined create a wind chill, which can make exercising outdoors unsafe even while wearing many layers, due to the fear of frostbite.

Track has also had a difficult time having to practice indoors. Track coach Ronald Stallard talks about how the gyms are being used by other sports, so they are forced to use the hallways. Since track is a no-cut sport, they have too many kids to try and fit in gyms, so they are being divided throughout the school halls to run sprints. The bigger problem is kids are becoming anxious, which can be seen by their constant questioning of when they can get outside and run.

“This year it’s affecting us more mentally than anything. Kids just want to get outside and compete, and they can’t do that when it’s this cold,” said Stallard. “It’s too dangerous when it gets this cold.”