CHERRY TWP – Dan Beebe’s trip to check on the softball field’s condition at Moniteau High School proved impossible.

Getting to the field wasn’t an issue. Removing the infield tarp was another matter.

“It was frozen to the ground and I couldn’t pick it up,” Beebe said. “The winter weather keeps getting harder each year.”

That’s why three years ago, the fourth-year Moniteau head coach decided to take his team south for spring training. Every year, the Warriors varsity and junior varsity teams open with three games at the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Area baseball and softball teams in Western Pennsylvania run into the same issue every year.

Getting the fields ready for the first day, not too mention finding practice time before the season, is difficult.

Moniteau is one of five area teams that will head to Myrtle Beach for a type of spring training.

Moniteau’s baseball team, A-C Valley’s softball team and Mars’ baseball team will also make the trip during the last week of March.

The Grove City High baseball team will also head south, spending the bulk of next week in Orlando, Fla.

This winter has been particularly unkind.

Pittsburgh has received 61.4 inches of snow so far this winter according to the National Weather Service, well above the average of 41.9 inches. This February was the 21st snowiest on record.

That made raising the money for spring training essential for Moniteau junior pitcher Taylor Hasychak.

Throughout the year, Hasychak raised money through hoagie and pizza sales and spaghetti dinners.

All worth it for an opportunity to get good conditions to practice in. A break from the weather doesn’t hurt either.

“It definitely helps get the rust out,” Moniteau junior pitcher Hasychak said. “It is hard coming back from the warm weather to the freezing cold.”

Fourth-year A-C Valley softball coach Corrina Strenthal was sick of dealing with the early-season field conditions.

Senior leftfielder Kayla Cratty remembers what it was like her freshman year.

“We could hardly get outside because of all the mud,” Cratty said. “It’s hard practicing game situations in the gym.”

Strenthal got the idea from the Falcons’ baseball team, which used to go to Florida every season.

Going down there guarantees her team will get more reps in. This will be the Falcons’ third straight spring opening up outside the Keystone state.

A-C Valley went to the Disney Sports Complex in Kissimme, Fla., for two seasons before opting to switch to Myrtle Beach this year.

Strenthal has already seen the impact on her program. She feels that her younger players benefit from the team bonding.

Also, when they get back there’s no guarantee they won’t wind up back inside.

“I think the experience level is so much higher,” Strenthal said. “I started with freshman who are now seniors and their ability is higher than it would have been had they not had as much experience.”

Making the switch to South Carolina this season was a practical one.

It cost $1,300 per student to go to Disney, while going to Myrtle Beach is around $700. Strenthal feels the new trip will be more relaxing.

“It was tiring, because you got passes to all the parks. That’s a lot of stuff to do for the kids,” Strenthal said. “It was awesome because it was an advantage, but a disadvantage because it made them more tired out. They wanted to ride the rides and got to the parks in addition to playing two games a day and a practice.”

All varsity games played count against each team’s total for the season.

Playing teams from different states also gives the Pennsylvania teams tough competition. Other states, especially in the south, start the season earlier, so those teams are in the middle of the season.

“I think that made us step up our game. When we lost to those teams, we got down on ourselves,” Falcons senior second baseman Gabby Rankin said. “I thought it gave us a confidence boost. When we came back, we were more comfortable.”

There’s also no guarantee that the schools will be matched up against someone in their classification.

“They have a lot more practice time. It’s harder competition with them.,” Hasychak said. “Playing bigger schools than what we’re used to. Schools bigger than Butler with better experience and more accomplished pitchers.”

Beebe enjoys the experience as a whole. They take a charter bus and stay oceanfront on beaches.

He describes it as being like a pro experience.

Beats trying to rip a frozen tarp off an infield.

“They love it. There’s been no complaints,” Beebe said. “It’s hard to complain about. We stay ocean front and 70 degree days feels like 90.”