Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow is what is usually heard around the holiday season, but this year the refrain lasted much longer than anyone could have expected. There have been days of inches and feet of snow, icy patches everywhere and roads that seem like Autotopia from Disneyland because of the one track down the middle of the poorly plowed side roads. There has now been snow on the ground for the past 60 days, which is second in the record books for the most consecutive days with snow in Denver. The longest was in 1983-84 when the snow stayed on the ground for a record 63 days reported the National Weather service.
“I have gotten spoiled the past eight years having great weather every day, and the snow hasn’t been that bad,” remarked men’s lacrosse Head Coach Jamie Munro.
Spoiled is something that many of the athletes have been in what is usually a city that is considered one of the sunniest in the nation. Denver has an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, which is more than the Hawaii and San Diego.
The practice and training for the upcoming season for the student athletes of the men and women’s lacrosse teams began right in the thick of the record-setting winter storms.
“It really hasn’t been that bad, the only thing we have really had to change is that we have had to use colored balls just so we can see it, and a few mornings we have been forced to go inside in the gym,” said men’s lacrosse senior goalie Jeb Hollingsworth.
The men’s team was not the only one having to find cover in the confines of the Ritchie Center.
“It was hard because we are not used to practicing inside all the time. We had a few days where we couldn’t really do what we needed to,” said women’s lacrosse senior Kristie Leggio.
The snowfall has helped prepare Pioneers for their future road games.
“I think it just made us better, because we are more prepared to be able to play in the snow and cold weather and helps us be able to play anywhere,” said junior Becky Childs.
Being a morning practice team makes it a little tougher on the men’s team, “The snow hasn’t been too bad. Last week impacted us a little bit. We had to go inside twice because it was so cold and it snowed overnight and being a morning practice team it makes it a challenging to have it plowed in time,” said Munro.
The DU athletic staff has done a great job getting the fields ready for the teams to practice and for the women’s home game earlier this season against Duke.
“I think the guys that have been plowing the field have done an amazing job. The only time we have been forced to go inside has been more because of the cold then the snow,” said women’s lacrosse coach Liza Kelly.
The plowing hasn’t been the only thing helping the teams, but the field itself has helped prevent injuries and provide a solid surface to play on.
“If we didn’t have synthetic surface we would be in trouble, but that is true with every lacrosse team in the country, basically we are an outdoor winter sport,” said Munro.
When it comes to plowing, the maintenance staff hasn’t been the only ones clearing the field.
“One morning the whole team got like 40 shovels and we had to shovel the whole field. It took about an hour,” said Hollingsworth.
There has been only one home game so far this season between the two teams and it looks like the sun is coming out just in time for the majority of games at Peter Barton lacrosse stadium.
