In the fifth inning of Lakeland’s varsity baseball game against Post Falls on April 21, the umpires decided that it was too dark to continue play. Lakeland took the loss, 6-3. 

While the darkness can be relatively predictable based on sunset time, one thing that is not is Idaho’s weather. 

Many sports have had their games canceled due to this weather, and that creates problems for scheduling games. Most recently, Lakeland’s baseball game was canceled at home against Moscow. 

This particular matchup is a league matchup, which means it must be played. This can force Lakeland to cancel other matchups and creates an overall nightmare. 

The individual who does the scheduling is athletic director Matt Neff. He said, “The weather is just as much an opponent as the teams we play. It’s day by day as to whether or not we can get these games in.”

However, rescheduling games may not be as easy as it seems. To schedule a game in the first place, transportation has to be coordinated, officials scheduled, and all that has to be communicated with the opposing team. 

With all the work that goes into this, it makes canceling a matchup a major inconvenience and complicates things for both schools involved. 

Now that the Moscow game has to be rescheduled, not only is coordination difficult but lining it up with both schools is as well. Neff said, “It’s a logistical challenge to get the stars to align so a lot of hours are spent communicating to get something lined up, sometimes we cross our fingers trying to get these games in.”

While surely this is an issue for all schools across the country, this is especially prevalent in the area of Northern Idaho because spring is so unpredictable. 

Not only are cancellations an issue, but weather can make playing nearly impossible because of the challenges it presents. 

On the track, running is harder in the rain. Wet tennis courts create slippery conditions and potentially dangerous scenarios. In baseball, catching a fly ball can be difficult in inclement weather, and hitting can be as well. 

This is just another example of challenges posed by weather in the unpredictable climate that we live in, especially in this season and general time of year. 

All these factors considered, spring is a challenge for not only scheduling reasons, but also for athletes, parents, officials, bus drivers, and administrators.