CUMBERLAND – Spring baseball regionals get underway tonight and coaches are thankful as they’ve been trying to keep their teams focused this past week.

Graduations, parties, finals, school field trips, a light game schedule and possibly a first round bye are testing some coaches’ patience.

“The top two seeds get byes… otherwise you’d go nine or ten days without a game depending on your conference,” said Cumberland High School assistant coach Joe Waite who was able to schedule a non-conference game Thursday against Northwood High School in Minong.

“The kids get too antsy if they have too much time off. It (the non-conference game) kind of gives you something to practice for during the week, rather than trying to look ahead a week and a half, you have something to get ready for.”

Cumberland is a No. 2 seed in Division 2. The Beavers play the winner of Amery (No.6) and St. Croix Falls (No.3).

“The seniors are out of school and they’re out of their routine,” said Waite running through the daily schedule they’ve had the past few months of school, practice, school, practice, school, game.

“It’s hard to tell if the kids sleep until noon or if they’re working or what. It’s probably tougher on spring coaches than any other season because there are more distractions in the spring than in other seasons,” he said.

Some of the obstacles Waite has encountered in his 19 seasons include graduations and field trips.

“They’ll plan a senior trip and we have a game,” he said. “We had one senior and he didn’t make it back in time; they don’t really give any consideration to scheduling but it’s all these little distractions and everyday there’s something new.”

Waite said every year Cumberland High School schedules a boating trip on the Mississippi. “That trip has sometimes fallen on a game night and kids have been screwing around on the river for eight hours and they don’t get back in time and they’re tired and that’s the worst one I think.”

“You have to roll with it and that’s all you can do,” said Waite who tries to emphasize how important it is to be there for your team and your teammates. “But you know in certain situations the kid is stuck and they have to take care of their other obligations too.”

“I don’t know how the summer guys can do it with those kids out of school all the time. We usually say… if you lose a kid, next man up.” 

Other coaches, like Cumberland's Mark Fuller said maintaining routine is one of the best strategies going into the state tournament.

“The key is not to change your expectations going into the playoffs. Hopefully, your expectations of what you expected from your players, were high all year. I think it's a mistake to expect a higher level of play for a game this time of year.

“We'll hit the basics at each practice (ex. 1st and 3rds, bunt coverage, picks) as a overall review, because ultimately it will be the basics that help you win or lose,” said Fuller.

“I see higher emotions from players, generally, which means I back off my own and just keep them directed in the right place. I don't need to try and get them up as much as I might for a cold Monday game in mid-April,” said Fuller.

 In Plymouth, coach Butch Cain said he tries to keep his team motivated by doing something fun with the group. “Maybe minnie golf or make up some games for points on the field. An extra game never hurts to keep the mind and body well trained to the type of atmosphere that is needed come tourney time,” said Cain.