The first day of spring - Friday, March 20 - is a little more than a week away, but like recent years, high school spring sports teams are in a familiar position in early March.

A late winter with periods of heavy snow have once again caused baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis and track and field teams' issues with their outdoor practice schedules that began last Monday, March 2.

Due to covered playing fields across the area, most teams have been forced inside gymnasiums to replicate their practice situations. Volleyball, on the other hand, is fortunate enough to remain practicing on their normal courts.

It may not be the idealist of situations, but recent years have made the switch indoors a bit smoother.

With limited gym space and Freedom being closed for a good portion of last week, the Patriots' softball team didn't even get to practice Monday through Friday. Head coach Nora Borger scheduled one practice on Saturday, but Sunday's workout was optional for her squad.

"We did get a lot done in two days, but it is still very difficult right now," Borger said. "I also have to share the gym with three others teams, and there is only three time slots.

"I'm used to being inside in the beginning of the season, but not missing a full week of practice."

Two snowstorms last week, including one on Thursday that brought in excess of six inches to the Lehigh Valley, hurt any chance of teams practicing outside.

First-year Liberty softball head coach Sam Carrodo and the Hurricanes spent time in the gym on Saturday and last Monday, the first day of spring practices.

"The rest of the days, the school was closed so we couldn't do a thing," Carrodo said. "We didn't even get a chance to get outside in a parking lot because it was full of snow. We couldn't do anything.

"You can simulate as much as you can for softball inside except for the outfielders. Those are the ones that get cheated the most. You can't really do high fly balls for them to get their depth perception in and stuff like that."

Holding tryouts has been one of the more difficult aspects for both Borger and Carrodo. With minimal practice time and their first league game scheduled for March 21, solidifying the team and making roster cuts is essential at this time of the season.

"I had a full week of tryouts and to pick my team [last year]," Borger said. "That's a little different."

It's even more critical for Carrodo with a young Liberty squad looking to make its mark in the newly formed Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.

"We have a very young team and a very talented team," Carrodo said. "We're hoping maybe the more time we have in here will give us some more time to be able to get them ready."

With temperatures projected to hover in the mid 40s and low 50s this week, both coaches have been to their respective home fields in recent days. And despite the higher temperatures, it's highly unlikely their scrimmages set for this week will get played.

"I walked up there yesterday and the field has about eight inches of snow on it," Borger said. "It's not light snow because it's been rained on, and it's ice. It's real heavy and very packed.

"I was walking across it and the snow was up to my knees," Carrodo said. "I don't know how fast that snow is going to disappear."

Freedom will try to get back on a close-to-normal schedule this week with softball practices on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the gymnasium. Liberty will look to replicate a similar schedule throughout the week.