Local Softball Teams Adjust Early Season Practices Due to Weather

With more bad weather on the way, a big challenge is making sure home fields are still ready for season openers right around the corner. 

DULUTH, Minn. – Playing a spring sport in the Twin Ports can be a challenge to say the least.

“The first two weeks are always pretty hard because we’re always in the gym and it really does suck because as an outfielder, you can’t really do much because you can’t get those pop flies, you can’t really do much,” Esko center fielder Maya Emanuel said.

“You get used to it but it’s still, you don’t get used to it at the same time. It is spring sports, but me and coach Haugen always talk about that like here we go, when are we going to get out there?” Esko head coach Jeff Emanuel added.

As teams head into their gyms to start practice, many of them focus on the little techniques they’re able to do inside.

“We’re working a lot of techniques right now because we can’t do a lot of long throws and pop flies so a lot of the little itty, gritty techniques,” Superior shortstop/catcher Natalee Sigfrids said.

“We’re just trying to get reps in, trying to get a lot of hitting reps in, we do a lot of work with the speed ladder, trying to get a little faster. It’s actually really nice to be efficient and have all of that set up,” Cloquet head coach Tyler Korby added.

“I picked up this gimmick, it’s an air tee which has the ball moving a little bit and the air kicks it up and it’s actually pretty cool, the girls like it a lot. it adds a little to indoor practices,” Emanuel said.

Some teams have more options like the Proctor softball team, being able to use their field house which has the same turf they play on at Egerdahl Field.

“This place, this turf is extremely helpful since we play on turf. All of the other softball teams are warming up in gyms, so cold outside so I think we have a huge advantage here getting those hops in,” Proctor third baseman Anika Burke said.

With more bad weather on the way, a big challenge is making sure home fields are still ready for season openers right around the corner.

“We want to play at home, we really do and we had four guys take care of our field, snow blow it and got it out of there so it’s going to be probably ready before any other field around here I would think,” Emanuel said.

But the teams say they still try to make the most of it until the warmth and sunshine finally comes.

“Getting that energy rolling is important, I think it’s key. You have to really set the tone early. whether outside or in the gym, of course it’s nice to be outside be we love softball so much we can do it inside or out,” Korby said.