By Randi Pierce
Staff Writer
The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate track and field teams opted to not compete with Mother Nature at last weekend’s Abel Velasquez Invite in Ignacio.
Coach Connie O’Donnell explains in an email to The SUN that, while the Saturday meet in Ignacio was not canceled, Pagosa, Bayfield and Durango decided not to compete, with the Pirates not competing due to the high winds and cold weather.
“I just didn’t want athletes to get injured and decided that it wasn’t worth the risk,” she wrote.
With the weather affecting multiple meets so far this season, several Pirates are still awaiting their first competition.
That competition should come Friday, when the Pirates will compete at the Bob Archibeque Invite in Cortez beginning at 9 a.m., with the forecast showing sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s.
“The weather for Friday looks pretty good at this point,” O’Donnell notes, adding, “It’s likely that wind will be a factor again because it always is in the spring.”
O’Donnell notes her plan heading into the meet continues to be the same.
“I’m still planning on putting some of our upper level athletes into individual events so that they can get times for those in state rankings,” she wrote, adding, “This will be a first meet for several athletes. It is important for them to do well and get in the state rankings as soon as possible. The longer it takes to perform well in a certain event, the more pressure athletes feel to perform. Sometimes that works well for athletes and sometimes it gets overwhelming.”
O’Donnell also notes that its important that this week’s practices be upbeat and fun given the lack of recent competition.
“Going over a week without competing can also feel overwhelming and I want practices to build them up, not tear them down,” she wrote.
randi@pagosasun.com
