Norwich Sports teams see drawbacks of practicing inside

Due to the weather in central Vermont at this time, the spring sports teams must practice indoors in Shapiro Field House. After Norwich just got hit by another snow storm there is no telling how long it will be until the baseball, softball and lacrosse teams can practice outside.

David Maxfield, 20, said that being inside can handcuff players on what they are capable of doing. "We have been having practices inside so far this season and they have been going well, but at the same time we are limited to what we can do," said Maxfield, a criminal justice major from Randolph, Vt.

Shapiro allows the teams to practice despite the weather, but it has drawbacks. The head men's lacrosse coach Neil Anderson talked about how his team would have to adjust for its first scrimmage and being outside for the first time all year.

"We are used to working in tight spaces and when we go outside that space is magnified. If we miss a pass it's not coming off a wall back at us, and we have to switch from O to D. We are hindered but not debilitated by Shapiro. If we had turf we would be even more ready to play the big games early in the season," he said.

Teams do not use indoor practices as an excuse for not playing well.

"Whether you are inside or outside lacrosse is lacrosse," said men's lacrosse captain Patrick Sikora, 21, a criminal justice major from Montpelier, Vt. "Having to practice inside should not limit our potential for the season."

Baseball has a rougher time.

"It is hard where you can't get a feel for the field, the hops, the sun and the fence as where other teams who are outside right now have a hand up over us," said Maxfield.

Practicing in Shapiro means players don't have to battle the sun for a flyball or know the infield dirt and what hops the ball will take. That puts Norwich baseball behind other teams.

It is up to upperclassmen to set the tone for the younger players and show them how to handle this unusual situation.

"The freshmen who are not from Vermont probably never had to contend with a preseason like this" Sikora said. "We all have to make do with the situation, we can't feel sorry for ourselves, because nobody else does."

According to Maxfield, the baseball team is working hard in Shapiro, but they cannot wait until their spring break trip to Arizona to finally get outside.

"Coach has never brought up us being inside at practice. He only wants us focused on getting work done at practice, not being distracted by being inside. But at the same time it is in the back of our minds that we need to battle through this for two more weeks until we go to Arizona for spring break. Once we get outside we can get a good feel for being outside," said Maxfield.

According to Anderson his team should explode once they get out of cramped Shapiro and into the open turf fields.

"Our first time outside will be a great opportunity to see how we perform," said Anderson, "We have planned for the beginning. We are used to it, we have no excuses. We will be prepared for every game we play, that is our job as coaches and players. We have the tools to be successful; having a turf field and being outside would get us ready quicker. For not having turf we will still be a successful program."

Scheduling indoor practices is a challenge. According to Maxfield it is hectic, but the teams are good sports about sharing Shapiro.

"We don't really have a set schedule; we rotate time slots with the other teams. We have never had a problem with the other teams, they wait till their slot and we leave when our time is over with," said Maxfield.