Temperatures might be chilly and fields might be snow covered here, but Moniteau's girls softball season will begin on time - in Florida.

The Warriors are leaving by chartered bus for the Disney Wide World of Sports softball complex in Orlando Saturday and will play four games there next week.

"Our season cannot officially start until March 25," coach Dan Hindman said. "So our first three games will be scrimmages. Only the fourth one will count on our record."

Moniteau plays a team from New Jersey Monday and Tuesday, a team from Missouri next Wednesday and a team from Florida on March 25.

Playing against much larger schools, Moniteau participated in this event in 2002 and lost two of three games.

"That was the spring following 9-11 and Disney World was considered one of the prime targets for terrorists," said Moniteau assistant coach Ed Flick. "A lot of schools pulled out of the event and we were left to play big schools.

"One school we played graduates 1,400 kids a year. We graduate about 100."

The experience was good for the Warriors nonetheless as Moniteau began a string of three consecutive Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference championships that spring.

Last year's team finished 16-4. The four seniors on this year's squad, Kelly McMillen, Jenna Beatty, Natalie DeMatteis and Laken Burk, made the trip as freshmen in 2002.

"It's the caliber of competition down there that benefits us," Hindman said. "We'll see pitching down there that we'll never see up here. And the difference in quality of fields down there compared to up here is night and day.

"Those fields are hard and the ball comes at you quick. It's a good experience for our kids."

The Disney Wide World of Sports hosts this softball event annually in March and April. Hundreds of high school teams from all over the country participate and games are played on 15 to 20 different fields.

Different teams come in each week. Moniteau's softball team had planned to play in last year's event, but the band had a Florida trip scheduled.

"The school district does not allow two organizations to go at the same time," Hindman said. "Besides, some of our girls are in the band, so it wouldn't have worked out."

Two years of fund-raising turned into three years and Moniteau's softball organization raised $24,000 for the trip through various activities, including a golf outing, dance, candy, magazine and candle sales, car washes and a flea market.

Some of the money raised goes into a scholarship program for Moniteau softball seniors. Each senior player receives $100 in scholarship money for each year she spent in the program.

Art Vogel, father of former Moniteau assistant coach Tim Vogel, got the scholarship program started before he died nearly three years ago.

"He requested that any money donated toward his funeral be given to our softball association," Hindman said. "We got together with the parents and boosters and the Art Vogel Memorial Scholarship was born."

The graduating seniors must use the scholarship money toward furthering their education.

In the meantime, the Warriors are using Florida to further their softball careers.

"This is like a spring training program to the participating teams," Flick said. "While other schools up here will be dealing with ice and snow and practicing in the gym, we'll be playing games in warm weather on high-quality fields."

Flick discovered this event three years ago while vacationing in Florida and was instrumental in getting Moniteau involved.

"The best part is how our girls will bond from being together through the week," Hindman said. "If you're going to play a team sport, you need to be a team. This definitely helps."