The weather has sent the Karns City softball team to the football field, the Seneca Valley track and field team to the pool and the Butler baseball team to the classroom.

It's not a typical spring. Baseball fields are waterlogged. Tracks are empty because of the cold and brisk winds and teams are scrambling to keep their players focused on the job at hand.

"This has been the worst, the worst, the worst," said Butler baseball coach Dave Florie, who has coached the sport in Western Pennsylvania for nearly three decades. "I can't remember anything quite this bad. There have been some worse than others, but this has been pretty bad."

Western Pennsylvania is known for weather that changes as quickly as a fastball zooming across the plate.

But the cold and wet weather pattern that has settled over Butler County has been as prolonged as any in recent memory, says several area spring sports coaches.

Temperatures in the 30s with wind gusts up to 40 mph postponed the Seneca Valley track meet against North Allegheny and North Hills and sent the Raiders inside for practice.

"I remember springs when there were a couple of bad days," said Seneca Valley track and field coach Wayne Roccia. "But none with a couple of bad weeks."

The poor weather sent the Raiders inside to the weight rooms — and the school's swimming pool.

"We actually get a pretty good workout in there," Roccia said.

It's not the same as being on the track, but practicing outside in weather like that on Monday is too big of a health risk, Roccia said.

"We're at the point in the season where if you get a severe muscle pull, your season is over," Roccia said. "Every coach looks at it as two seasons. The team season and the individual season. The individual season starts the first of May and we're in the middle of April already."

Butler baseball has had to convene in a classroom instead of on the diamond because of the cold and damp conditions.

It has been a challenge for Florie, who started the season without a practice outdoors and has played just seven games, but none since last Monday.

Florie said the players have kept a positive attitude despite being confined to the not-so-great indoors.

"I think we have an exceptional group," Florie said. "You have to try to be positive.Adversity strikes in different ways and it's hitting us now. You just have to be patient and wait (for the weather to break)."

Karns City softball coach Mike Simpson also has struggled with the weather. At a school with an artificial turf football field, the Gremlins have been able to get outside and practice on that surface twice this season.

It is still no substitute for grass and dirt.

The poor conditions have forced Simpson into improvisational mode. He's had to create new drills and new ways to practice inside to keep his team's spirits up.

With so many games postponed, the schedule is filling up fast.

Karns City is scheduled to play every day this week, as are several other softball and baseball teams.

"We practiced today as if we were playing tomorrow," Simpson said. "Even though there is no way we're playing tomorrow, we still had to practice like we were.

"It's tough," the coach added. "We're going to have to play every day (once the weather improves). But you know what? I like that. I think once we get outside and playing every day, things will get better."

First-year SlipperyRock coach Zoe McDowell can relate to that. With a roster full of young players, the Rockets have played just two games — both wins.

It has McDowell wondering if the weather is stunting her young team's growth, although team morale has stayed high.

"I tell you what, these kids are a self-motivating bunch," McDowell said. "They've been doing a great job."

The Rockets have been hitting in the indoor cage and fielding grounders off the hardwood floor of the gym — not the perfect scenario.

"I am concerned about fielding," McDowell said. "We had quite a few errors the two games we did play."

There is some good news for spring sports coaches. The forecast calls for dry conditions and highs in the upper 50s later in the week.