The WVSSAC released its official dates for the restart of sports in West Virginia earlier today. Preseason practice resumes February 15. Girls’ basketball games can start on March 3; the boys two days later on March 5.
Swimming will be the first winter sport to put on its title event when the swimming and diving championships are held April 20-21 in Morgantown. Wrestling runs between April 21-24 in Huntington, depending on the class. Finally, girls’ basketball (April 27-May 1) and boys’ (May 4-8) championships round out the “winter” sports season.
Spring sports can begin practicing on March 15 with the first date for competition slated for April 12.
For those doing the math, there’s going to be some overlap, especially for teams that are factoring deep postseason runs or, in the case of wrestling, the individuals with shots at getting to Huntington.
That’s a lot for athletes to juggle. Sure, there are a lot of high school athletes who’ve taken to the specialization route and play only one sport all year long.
But they are not the majority. Most high school athletes play multiple sports. Small schools like Cameron and Valley, it’s nearly a requirement, certainly a necessity.
You’re going to have basketball players, wrestlers, and swimmers not two weeks into their regular seasons hearing the call of spring sports practice beckoning.
Ask most kids and they’d be more than happy to double up. But that’s youth talking. If the body’s energy level had a voice in the matter, it might offer a protest and loudly at that.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to two main factors: numbers, and time. Most schools are lacking in the first. Small schools are also deficient in the second.
Anybody else? Anybody?
First, let’s discuss players, or in this case, the lack thereof. At Cameron, where January’s point guard is April’s short stop and similar pairings, the usual school and athletic calendar is sufficient.
The season ends, said players get a few days off then it’s off to springs sports’ practice before the new season begins. Now, with spring practice starting not even at the midpoint of the winter regular season, it’s going to cause some issues.
“We just don’t have the numbers,” Cameron Athletics Director Roger Cain said. “Being a smaller school, we can’t facilitate having two teams plays at the same time.”
Cameron has decided to not play any sprint sports events until after the winter teams have finished. The Dragons are anticipating strong seasons in both boys’ and girls’ basketball with a real shot at one or both reaching Charleston for the first time in school history.
The athletic department, administration and coaches want those players to be able to focus on their respective winter sports (wrestlers too) and not worry about doubling up.
“We’re hoping it’s going to be successful, but the opportunity is definitely there,” Cain said. “Our coaches have come to an understanding that we’re not going to start out winter season (official games) until the winter is over.”
“We don’t have enough to share athletes.”
That’s not to say the boys and girls are unable to attend practices and workouts. They just won’t have to worry about playing a basketball game one night, only to come back the following day and pitch 5-7 innings in a baseball game.
“They will be allowed to attend practices,” Cain said. “In baseball and softball, you have to get your arms ready, and not just for pitching. Need to be able to throw from the outfield to home, from behind the plate. You can’t expect them to start cold without any practice.
“Our coaches have already done an exceptional job of talking and working through this.”
Time Is Not a Luxury
The other issue that will affect all schools, not just small, is time. Or, again, the lack thereof.
“We’re going to have to try to modify our schedules because we can’t have kids in school all day after getting up at 6:30 a.m., going through a 2-hour basketball practice and then a two-hour baseball or softball practice,” said John Kocher, athletics director and head boys’ basketball coach at Valley. “That’s too demanding on their part.
“So, we’re trying to get together and modify some things and practices.”
Kocher noted that at Valley, the Lumberjacks and ’Jills average around 12-15 players each season for softball and baseball, usually no more than 10 for the track team. Despite the smaller enrollment, Kocher guessed there’s, on average, 2-3 players per team that also compete in a sport during both seasons.
That’s why Valley isn’t taking it to the lengths that Cameron in. But Kocher knows communication between himself, his coaches, and staff is paramount.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” Kocher said. “I’ve talked to our principal about it and I think it’ll come down to communication with our other coaches and trying to modify how we go about it.”
Other Potential Snags
Manpower and time issues aren’t restricted to the athletes either. Sporting events don’t run themselves. Event staff is a necessity. Concession stands need manned. The clock needs ran. Tickets need sold (in theory, this is the pandemic after all) and administrators need to oversee.
It’s hard enough finding enough people to cover high school events without multiple seasons’ worth of teams playing at once.
“Transportation and administration are also potential issues,” Cain said. “We still have to facilitate the activities. I can’t be across the road at a baseball game and also be here for basketball too, along with a middle school game upstairs and have other teams on the road.
“It just becomes a scheduling nightmare. Thankfully, our coaches have taken to working on their own schedules some which has made my job a little easier.”
Kocher lamented putting the finishes touches on the basketball schedule for the third time this season. It’s been a fun week or two getting the schedule filled out, especially given playing Ohio teams isn’t an option for the winter sports like it normally is.
“I’ve been scheduling games all day yesterday, today, and I’ll probably be back at it again tomorrow,” Kocher said. “Hopefully the third time is the charm and it’s the last time.”
One thing is for certain, the athletes themselves are ready to get back out on the courts, mats, diamond or track.
They’ve waited, and missed, enough.
“Our kids are chomping at the bit to get back out there,” Kocher said. “We do remote learning, and they keep emailing me and telling me they can’t wait to get out there. I just tell them to be patient. Things will work out and you’ll be back to playing.
“They just want to get back out there, get back to school too to see their friends and get back to normal.”
