Recent snowstorms have done more than just close school— they have also wreaked havoc on Goochland High School’s spring practice schedule.

  Sloppy field conditions have forced most sports indoors and finding space to accommodate the teams has been a challenge.

  “We have been using hallways, gym space, and the parking lot to hold tryouts,” said softball coach Amy Henneberger. “I don’t see that the field will be drying out anytime soon.  I am sure that we will be spending a lot of time this spring practicing somewhere other than the field.”

  Goochland High School athletic director Bryan Gordon said the snow closings and cancellation of athletic events, wet fields and spring practice dilemmas are posing a real challenge for everyone.

  The problems began at the close basketball season when the snow brought a premature end to the regular season slate.

  “Well to start off with, all of the snow that we got at the end of January and first part of February, was the reason that the Jefferson District decided to cancel the remaining basketball games,” Gordon said.  “We did not play three important games (Charlottesville, Western and William Monroe).”

  The lack of practice and game experience meant the teams entered the Jefferson District tournament with little time on the court.

  “We didn’t go to school for I think it was eight or nine days due to the road conditions, so the teams couldn’t practice,” Gordon said. “For the varsity girls and varsity boys, they went into the district tournament without a lot of practice time in two weeks.”

  The problem did not go away when spring practices began in February. “Spring sports tryouts started Monday, Feb. 22 and guess what? It tried to rain,” Gordon said. “All of the fields have snow or water on them so the whole field can’t be used.” That forced many of the teams in to limited space inside the campus.

  “We try to set up a schedule for the use of the gym and fitness room so the teams can do some type of work inside,” Gordon said. “The baseball team pitchers and catchers came in at 6:30 am two days this week to get some work in because it wasn’t going to get done outside. The coaches have to get creative in the drills that they can do when working inside.  Teams use the hallways, cafeteria, parking lots and classrooms in order to get ready for the upcoming season.”

  At press time, the girls’ soccer team was one of many that haven’t seen its first day of real practice.

  “As of this date we have not been on the field…and I’m not sure when we will get there,” said head coach Tom Reid.

  “We have had very little contact with the ball, as practice has to occur in the halls or in the gym,” Reid added. “All spring sports must share the gym on a rotating schedule.  Soccer is a running game. Being inside does not allow for ball control or moving with the ball.”

  The closures and cancellations have not only disrupted spring practices, it’s also decreased revenues for an already strapped athletic department at GHS.

  “Again, we lost three district home basketball games when the AD’s of the Jefferson District decided to cancel the rest of the season and start the tournament games on time,” Gordon explained. “The varsity games were scheduled for a Friday night and you have a bigger gate for varsity and Friday night games.  We lost out on the chance of bringing in an additional $2,500.”

  With temperatures remaining low during the day, the drying process is taking longer than usual.

  “With the baseball and softball fields, you have the dirt to worry about drying out and this time of the year, the temperature during the day doesn’t dry it out a lot,” Gordon said. “I am not sure if any scrimmages that were scheduled will be played.”

  Gordon said he couldn’t remember a more challenging year, weather wise. “We have had the wet weather late in November before, but we have never had as much snow as we have had this winter.”