LYNN — With winter in the rear-view mirror and the first day of spring on the calendar, it’s time to prepare for yet another new season of high-school sports.
With the upcoming spring season comes a handful of different sports. Lacrosse, baseball and softball are all back out on the field, while tennis and outdoor track are also back in full effect.
However, with the new season looming, a lot of the coaches are simply excited to get back out onto the turf or diamond and showcase what they can put together.
“It’s exciting to have a normal season again,” said Lynn Jets lacrosse coach Peter Pappagianopoulos during the team’s first tryout session Monday at Manning Field. “After last year’s rushed-together and a couple-week-long season, it’s nice to have a full preseason and season to look forward to.”
Pappagianopoulos isn’t the only one to revel in that excitement. Peabody baseball coach Mark Bettencourt — who enjoyed a successful fall season with the Tanners football team — also has very similar feelings.
“It’s different from recent years, because now it feels like we can go back to playing like we always did,” said Bettencourt. “The last couple of years have been tough — two years ago not playing at all and last year playing feeling restricted. Now, we feel like we can just play fresh.”
Getting to enjoy a full, fresh season isn’t the only thing a lot of the coaches are excited for. With the new season also come new and fresh faces. Some kids who never picked up a lacrosse stick or baseball bat will make their way onto a field, and in hopes to impress the coaches, and that’s something a lot of these coaches are most looking forward to.
“I’m most excited to see these kids play,” said Bettencourt. “I haven’t coached a lot of these kids. This senior class played freshman baseball, didn’t play their sophomore year and had a rushed junior year. So, seeing these kids play is something I’m excited for.”
“I expect to watch these kids grow as the season goes on,” said the newly-appointed boys lacrosse coach for St. Mary’s, Wayne Silva. “There will be a lot of newness. Show up on time; I want them a few minutes early. I just want them to learn as people, as they grow up.”
It’s no doubt that everyone is excited for the upcoming season, and rightfully so. With a lot of upside and what’s sure to be a stellar season coming for a lot of these teams, it’s nice to feel that with the return of spring sports is also a sense of normalcy returning to society.
