Fargo North Softball Patiently Awaiting Start of Season

Spartans eyeing return to state tournament this year.

FARGO, N.D. — Much of North Dakota and Minnesota continues to wait for the start of spring sports season at the high school level. The biggest absence at this point has been spring. So, just about everyone is practicing inside.

“Last year at this point in time I already had sunburn going on. I was already tan,” junior center fielder Greta Rehder said. “We are definitely itching to go outside.”

“Last year we were outside by April 1st and we were playing in Bismarck,” sophomore pitcher Gabi Olek said. “This year it is April 10th and we still haven’t played our first game.”

Fargo North softball can’t wait to get outside to being its season. As they wait for the weather to cooperate, their coach knows they, just like every other sports team on the eastern part of North Dakota is chomping at the bit to get their season started.

“We’re all in the same boat. That’s the big piece of it,” head coach Scott Carter said. “What it does for us is once we do get started your time to figure things out is really shortened.”

A big thing to figure out for the Spartans will be the pitcher and catcher position. After losing both to graduation last year, Fargo North is looking to under classmen to step into these key spots.

“I’m trying to fill in the role as much as possible. With getting as much varsity innings as possible pitching wise,” Olek said. “I trained a lot in the off season trying to fill it.”

Once the Spartans do get outside and get games under their belt, they believe they are capable of special things this year.

“We got a pretty big gap to fill as far as where we were at the end of last year,” Carter said. “It is being able to play at that level for a long period of time. We have to play there an entire season. That is what we are trying to challenge the girls to.”