When you are a sports fan, or even a reporter, in Northern California, spring
sports are such a confounding dynamic.
sports are such a confounding dynamic.
The winter weather here in Northern California ranges from cool to cold outside
but involves watching basketball games and wrestling matches inside the gym.
Granted, in some areas, soccer, which is an outdoor sport, has become a winter
event but you get the initial point. The more extended point is that when we think
of spring sports, we think outdoors, warmer weather, flowers and trees blooming
and allergies among other things.
but involves watching basketball games and wrestling matches inside the gym.
Granted, in some areas, soccer, which is an outdoor sport, has become a winter
event but you get the initial point. The more extended point is that when we think
of spring sports, we think outdoors, warmer weather, flowers and trees blooming
and allergies among other things.
Here in Northern California, various parts of the Bay Area endured flooding, in
particular Sonoma and Napa Counties last week. As of this writing, we have gotten
a reprieve from the rain but more is likely to happen in March. I’m not a
meteorologist, I just play one on the internet.
particular Sonoma and Napa Counties last week. As of this writing, we have gotten
a reprieve from the rain but more is likely to happen in March. I’m not a
meteorologist, I just play one on the internet.
The spring sports of choice are baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, swimming,
golf and though it’s an indoor sport, badminton. The general trend in terms of
weather tends to be in the winter time while the indoor sports are taking place, the
amount of rain is minimal. Once winter sports season ends, however, here comes
the rain. Then, the next thing you know it’s the Eurythmics 1980s hit song “Here
Comes The Rain Again.” Shoutout 1980s music. So as March events keep getting
rained out, you ask, “Where was all of this rain in December and January?”
Translation, take pictures of baseball/softball diamonds, tracks, and tennis courts,
and you feel like it’s an image of Lake Michigan around second base.
golf and though it’s an indoor sport, badminton. The general trend in terms of
weather tends to be in the winter time while the indoor sports are taking place, the
amount of rain is minimal. Once winter sports season ends, however, here comes
the rain. Then, the next thing you know it’s the Eurythmics 1980s hit song “Here
Comes The Rain Again.” Shoutout 1980s music. So as March events keep getting
rained out, you ask, “Where was all of this rain in December and January?”
Translation, take pictures of baseball/softball diamonds, tracks, and tennis courts,
and you feel like it’s an image of Lake Michigan around second base.
When covering high school athletics, you contact the athletic director about
mid-January to request spring sports schedules so you can input them to run in
the newspaper. When I was a sports reporter in St. Helena and Calistoga, CA,
which is located in the Northern part of the Napa Valley, for two community weekly
publications, the schedules were an expectation for the local readership. Rainouts
are not easy on sports parents either, I have gotten a taste.
mid-January to request spring sports schedules so you can input them to run in
the newspaper. When I was a sports reporter in St. Helena and Calistoga, CA,
which is located in the Northern part of the Napa Valley, for two community weekly
publications, the schedules were an expectation for the local readership. Rainouts
are not easy on sports parents either, I have gotten a taste.
The noticeable trend when spring sports started was that you could look at the
March schedule and say to yourself, “There’s a good chance at least half of these
events are not going to happen.” Why? Let’s just say that water falls out of the sky,
as in that thing we call rain.
March schedule and say to yourself, “There’s a good chance at least half of these
events are not going to happen.” Why? Let’s just say that water falls out of the sky,
as in that thing we call rain.
The rain makes everyone’s life difficult: student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors
and yes, media. Games end up getting rescheduled and finding time to practice
indoors can be an issue because in most cases, there is only one gym. After all,
being the best indoor whiffle ball team only goes so far. The result ends up being
cabin fever. The rain can also make life difficult for physical education teachers
because in the springtime, most of the teaching is outdoor oriented activities.
and yes, media. Games end up getting rescheduled and finding time to practice
indoors can be an issue because in most cases, there is only one gym. After all,
being the best indoor whiffle ball team only goes so far. The result ends up being
cabin fever. The rain can also make life difficult for physical education teachers
because in the springtime, most of the teaching is outdoor oriented activities.
Though I was a high school student-athlete about half of my life ago, I can most
prominently identify with how rainouts effect local sports media. Since I worked
for community weekly and daily publications with a two-year stint at an online
news service, our news organizations relied on having local stories, game and
feature stories. When rain washes out a multitude of events, it forces your hand
to pursue other stories.
prominently identify with how rainouts effect local sports media. Since I worked
for community weekly and daily publications with a two-year stint at an online
news service, our news organizations relied on having local stories, game and
feature stories. When rain washes out a multitude of events, it forces your hand
to pursue other stories.
By far the worst year I faced was the Spring of 2006 when it rained for all of about
six days in March and about half of April. The rainouts in March were overcome by
running spring sports preview stories. When April arrived, however, I was so
desperate for stories that I reached out to PE teachers. The reaction was
predictable, “Damn, Vince you really are hard up for stories.” Once I decided to
have fun with the idea, life was much easier.
six days in March and about half of April. The rainouts in March were overcome by
running spring sports preview stories. When April arrived, however, I was so
desperate for stories that I reached out to PE teachers. The reaction was
predictable, “Damn, Vince you really are hard up for stories.” Once I decided to
have fun with the idea, life was much easier.
Being an Upvalley sports reporter presented an even bigger challenge since St.
Helena and Calistoga play teams in Lake and Mendocino Counties, which involve
an hour long bus ride at the bare minimum but often are closer to two hours. That
set of circumstances means deciding early in the day whether or not the event is
getting played.
Helena and Calistoga play teams in Lake and Mendocino Counties, which involve
an hour long bus ride at the bare minimum but often are closer to two hours. That
set of circumstances means deciding early in the day whether or not the event is
getting played.
I remember the Calistoga High softball team reaching the CIF North Coast Section
Class B playoffs despite playing only 12 games when most regular seasons are 25.
The Wildcats went 9-3 so they were deserving of a berth.
Class B playoffs despite playing only 12 games when most regular seasons are 25.
The Wildcats went 9-3 so they were deserving of a berth.
With daylight savings looming, it is known as spring forward but the next rainout
you know of, just ask yourself, “How far did spring go forward?” Visualize using
binoculars in the process.
you know of, just ask yourself, “How far did spring go forward?” Visualize using
binoculars in the process.
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