Now that the winter sports are almost over, we must start preparing for the spring sports. Track season gets underway as we speak, while the baseball and softball teams must wait until the weather warms up and the ground is not hardened by the snow, nor saturated by the rain.

But, first, players must have had their physical and the sports packets must be completed turned in before they will be allowed to participate in high school or middle school sports practices or games.

Take care of your feet and get the right tennis shoes or spikes needed to compete in either baseball, softball or track. It’s still cold in March and outerwear is vital. In some instances, umpires and track officials will allow players to wear certain equipment to help keep them warm while they are playing. But, before buying a lot of gear, players should consult their coaches to find out what is allowed and what isn’t.

In baseball and softball, there are bats that are not sanctioned, so check it out before you go buy those expensive bats.

Talking about those expensive bats, there are rules that will be enforced this year about. With spikes being allowed, players are hitting their bats causing chips and dents. If the umpires deem the bat unsafe because of a burr or a dent, the bast has to go.

Keep in mind to remind players not to pound the bat against their cleats, because the manufacturer will not take it back after it has been used improperly.

The school and booster organizations buy the equipment and work hard to get the kids the equipment they need and we should all do our part to take care of them. Throwing the bats and helmets after striking out or hitting them against the bench or screens might seem to be ok to some. But, it’s not ok for those who pay for them. Just use common sense and know that someone is always watching or taking a picture that might catch you in the act.

Not only is it abusing the equipment, it’s not very good sportsmanship, either.

Fans who stand outside the fence to watch events are chiseling the school out of funds that could be used to offset equipment and uniform expenses It might be a nice country song, but that $6 to get in can go a long way, especially now.

I will be umpiring again this year and hope to see good sportsmanship from both players and fans. As sports editor, I will look for coaches and fans to turn in stats and scores to me at the newspaper (Fax: 344-1275; Email: sports@wetzelchronicle.com).

On a sad note, there will be no all-county basketball team this season. Almost all coaches except Valley boys and Magnolia boys, failed to send in stats consistently (while certain others didn’t send any in at all).

How did I get the stats? one might ask. Players helped a great deal, as did some of the parents and family members who would call. Of course, they always seem to show up in the Wheeling paper, so I checked there, also.

That’s sad, I have the technology to keep running stat totals for any team, any players, any season. Permanently.

I hope baseball and softball coaches do a better job. If you don’t see your schools’ team in the paper, it is a good bet they didn’t turn anything in. In our paper I like to get as many of the players in as possible. Most papers just want the multiple hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs. But, in the Wetzel Chronicle, if Johnny gets one hit, steals a base or makes a nice defensive play or sacrifices want to know that news.

Yeah, its easy to just use the same players’ names game after game. But this is a hometown newspaper and I want as many players possible to get the recognition as often as possible.

Track results are a lot easier. Coaches put the stats in RunWV.net and all I do is cut from there and paste them on a newspaper page. But, please. If you send in your stats right after the game or fax it the next day, that’s great.

As always, I am open to suggestions and new ideas. It’s not my paper. It’s yours. And I want you to let me know if I should do something different or keep chugging along.

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The WVSSAC has rescheduled the Class AA Cheerleading State Championships after a lawsuit over a stunt prompted its postponment in December.

A Wayne County Circuit judge issued an injunction that allowed Tolsia High School Cheerleaders to participate. The State Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the motion March 4 to decide whether to overturn or affirm the injunction.

During Regional competition, the Lady Rebels finished fourth after in their region after being penalized for performing an illegal stunt in their routine. Without the penalty, Tolsia would have finished runner-up in its division. The two top teams in each of the four regional tournaments, including our very own Magnolia Blue Eagle Cheerleading squad.

The Class AA Cheerleading tournament is rescheduled for April 3 at the Charleston Civic Center.