Sports Spread

SPRINGING INTO THE SPORTING SEASON

Many end of year sports have differing plans to practice at off-campus sites.

By Sarah Ohlde Reporter

Large sports teams have had difficulties with finding adequate practice space. Sports like swimming, tennis and baseball can only do so much to improve outside of their designated facilities. When the team gets too big the next best thing is to find space off campus.

As more and more people go out for a sport like swimming, only so many swimmers can fit in the pool at one time. With the opening of the Shawnee Mission Aquatic Center, the team gets a chance to spread out and focus on swimming and not the overcrowded lanes.

“A pro is we don’t have to share with the swimmers, because that gets kind of hectic and the boards are a lot nicer at the SMAC,” freshman diver Greta Waller said.

The $28 million SMAC opened in Nov 2019 but was only really used by the boys team, as the girls’ season was canceled due to COVID.

“[The SMAC] is a lot nicer than the pool at south but a con [to practicing at the SMAC] is that it breaks like once a year,” sophomore swimmer Olivia Ponnuru said.

As more and more boys go out for tennis in the spring, the south courts fill up fast, leading the team to split up practice locations between the south courts and the Marty Park courts.

“Pros of practicing offcampus at the Marty courts is the quality of courts. Most of the Marty Courts are well maintained even through their heavy use, both by the south tennis team and the general public,” freshman tennis player John Kelley said.

BEN BELANGER tennis

JACK RUPP Baseball

ELI THURSTON Golf

Golf practices at Brookridge, Deer Creek, and St. Andrews Baseball practices at South but plays all of their home games at 3&2 which is about 15 minutes from South.

SPRINGING INTO THE SPORTING SEASON

OLIVIA PONNURU Swim and Dive

GRETA WALLER Swim and Dive

JOHN KELLY tennis

Along with everything else being different this year due to COVID, small things like carpooling with upperclassmen has been something that the tennis team and all other sports are no longer allowed to do.

“It can be hard for freshman and other students that can’t drive though especially during COVID because they can’t ride with an upperclassman,” senior tennis player Ben Belanger said.

When it comes down to it, most athletes don’t have an opinion on where they practice as long as it’s with their team.

“Practice is amazing no matter where it is, because it comes down to Raider pride, and Raider pride is something we have a lot of,” junior tennis player Peyton Peck said.

The golf team practices at Brookridge, St. Andrews and Deer Creek golf courses.

“[For] tournaments we can only take five [players] this year so it will not be as fun. [With] one less player at tournaments too making this year more challenging and competitive,” senior golf player Eli Thurston said.

Baseball practices at south but all home games take place at 3 & 2 Baseball fields in Lenexa.

“It is a bit inconvenient to have to take a bus to all of our games even if they’re “home”, but we aren’t really able to play games at south,” senior baseball player Jack Rupp said.

Hosting meets off campus that area technically home has its own difficulties and the team misses out on the student body involvement in their games.

“It would be awesome if we could play games at south because that would mean more students would possibly come to games, but for now we aren’t able to,” Rupp said.

Swim practices some days at South and some days at the SMAC which is 1015 minutes from South depending on traffic. Half of the tennis squad practices at Marty Park and the other half practices at South.