With the winter weather continuing to grip South Dakota this spring, high schools have had a difficult time practicing and competing in spring sporting events, which include golf, track and field, tennis and softball.

When it comes to track and field, the lack of meets has many concerned about how athletes will be able to qualify for the state meet at the end of May. Groton track coach Shaun Wanner feels the opportunities for the athletes to qualify for state has been limited by several factors.

“I think when they switched the state qualifying (to) the top 24, that’s where I feel bad for the kids because it limits their opportunities,” Wanner said.

Wanner also said that the weather plays a major factor in limiting the opportunities for the athletes to run, and he has had to learn how to prepare for the future.

“We’ve already been planning ahead. I’ve become a pretty good meteorologist over the years watching the news, especially when you’re a football coach (and) track coach, because you’re outside for two sports,” Wanner said. “You have to do a lot of planning, looking ahead, trying to find out places you can maybe go run.”

Wanner said although it has been difficult to find places to go to meets, he has been thankful for the indoor meets his team has been able to participate in so far this season. He notes that he has been looking for potential meets in the southern and western parts of the state due to most meets getting postponed or canceled in the northeast.

“Hopefully, we can find something south,” Wanner said. “I’ve been peeking around, sending emails out to coaches down there seeing if we can get into some meets maybe at the end of April and hopefully we can get one or two outdoor meets.”

Wanner is not alone in his struggle to find track meets. Webster coach Brandy Gangle has been working with her administration trying to find meets for her athletes as well.

“It’s a lot of networking,” Gangle said. “My AD has already talked with a couple of other AD’s for later in the season if we need to make moves. Sometimes getting into meets is an issue because right now everybody wants a meet down south.”

Gangle says most of the time a team needs permission to get into a meet they were not originally scheduled to compete in, which is why she takes a “one week at a time” approach when looking for meets.

“I take it week by week,” Gangle said. “I want one competition each week. (That) is my goal now.”

Being flexible is key when it comes to scheduling, and Gangle says she is thankful that her athletes and administration are flexible when schedules are adjusted. Gangle noted that her team will be traveling to Menno next week to take part in a track meet, approximately 150 miles south of Webster. Gangle has even looked out of state for potential meets and has had out of state schools contact the Webster school looking for possibilities.

“I’ve had North Dakota schools getting a hold of us, asking if they can come down to us,” Gangle said.

Gangle also said she has reached out to Omaha District Director of Athletics John Krogstrand, the former Assistant Executive Director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association, and a former high school classmate of Gangle’s, asking if there is a possibility of taking her team to Omaha for a meet if the need arose. However, Gangle does not anticipate traveling that far for a meet.

The lack of meets has also affected the Webster athletes’ efforts to qualify for state, although Gangle said the biggest impact has been on the mental side of the athletes.

“A lot of times it’s more of a mental thing, a motivational thing, to keep the kids excited,” Gangle said. “Poor weather is obviously poor for everyone’s moods anyway, but when you feel like you’re working really hard and not getting anything accomplished, it can be frustrating.”

Gangle noted that because of that frustration, she puts it on herself to find meets for her kids to compete in. Wanner also said his kids can get down when the opportunities to compete become limited.

“We try to be careful about how we work our kids,” Wanner said. “I think last year they were more bummed because they were nervous about how many track meets (they were) going to get an opportunity to get into that top 24. I think after we ran a few meets in May we really started running well before the state track meet.”

Adjustments to practices have also made it difficult for teams to find their groove when it comes to qualifying for state.

“The tough part is breaking up all that indoor practice time,” Gangle said. “Our throwers, they can really only work on shot put. Jumpers is my specialty, and we can do a lot of drills, but obviously without getting into the sand it’s tough, and run-throughs are tough. Distance kids can fare okay. They can go outside some days, but it’s our sprinters that struggle because they can’t do any speed endurance work until we get to our track.”

Despite the difficulties the winter weather has thrown their way, both coaches are hopeful that they can compete in enough meets to give their kids a chance to qualify for the state meet.

“(It’s) a good group of kids,” Wanner said, “and hopefully we get some opportunities to get some work in (and get) some opportunities for them to participate and compete.”

The clock is ticking and not just for getting qualified marks for the state meet.

“I’ve got some really talented athletes that have competed at Howard Wood and should, but they need verified outdoor marks before the first week in May,” Gangle said. “I’ve told the kids I’ll find them some place to compete so that they can get their marks in. I just can’t justify having them practice every day and then telling them we’re not having a meet.”