Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Today would have been district track and field day.

That scheduling fact hit me as I went through my morning routine of reworking my daily schedule.

Each day now cancelled spring sporting events I would have attended are removed and replaced with Zoom meetings or conference calls or virtual activities for my children.

That ‘new’ way of doing things has become so normal that I did a double take when I saw DISTRICT TRACK MEETS bolded on May 14.

Then I saw the rain falling outside my office window and the forecast for possible storms this evening and it suddenly seemed like a typical district track day.  

(In my seven years covering sports in Iowa I think it’s rained six times on district track day).

In the month since the April 17 announcement that there would be no spring sports in Iowa reminders of all the cancelled events continue to pop up almost every day.

Too many track meets, soccer matches, golf tournaments, tennis matches and senior night celebrations have been crossed off calendars to count.

It is tough to think about all the area athletes that missed opportunities to compete and create memories this spring but its impossible to avoid those thoughts as days set aside for the Drake Relays, district meets or state competition come and go.

I’ve used this column several times to remind readers to stay positive during these days when it is easier to become negative.

Every day that the weather gets warmer and the grass gets greener its tougher for me not to think about what I would normally be doing this time of year.

Instead of fighting that feeling I decided to let it out but in a positive way by flooding this column with all the things that I enjoy about covering the spring sports season.

I miss these things now but not having them makes me even more excited for the day when I’ll be able to attend these events again.

Everyone is going to miss the big events this spring, like the coed state track and field meet and state soccer meet and I’ll miss covering those too, I haven’t missed one of either since I started covering prep sports in Iowa seven years ago.

Today I’m thinking about the other things I’ll miss or have already missed. The events that not everything thinks of.

When it was said ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ I don’t believe it was in reference to a 90 degree, 16-hour day at the state track meet or a freezing Friday night at a soccer field.

Then again, I don’t think it was a sports writer that said it.

Here are 10 things I’m missing this spring and counting down the days until I’ll be able to do again.

The Day After District Track

Since it’s that time of year we begin with the inspiration for this column. Almost.

Look, I enjoy a district track meet as much as the next sports reporter BUT it has gotten to the point where the weather has become almost more than just a coincidence.

It’s as if mother nature circles this date as early as those in the track and field community.

In just six attempts at covering state qualifiers I’ve seen everything from hail to temps in the 30s to sheets or rain and gusting winds.

Granted, I spend most of the night in the dry confines of a press box but more often than not these nights have been a messy night for everyone from athletic directors and athletes to volunteers.

I do however look forward to the day after district meets.

At least in my fleeting memories the Friday after district track is always beautiful, sunny and 70.

It’s not just the weather, sitting down that morning, sifting through results, hammering away at state meet previews and setting up interviews for features while waiting for the list of state qualifiers to become official is fun for me.

Some writers don’t enjoy that type of busy work for me it’s a fun way to pass the time while my shoes and clothes from the night before dry.  

City High vs. West High Soccer Doubleheader

If you’ve followed me over the years you likely already know the annual boy/girl cross-town soccer showdown at the University of Iowa Soccer Complex is among my favorite events to cover regardless of sport or season.

The facility is top-notch, the atmosphere is as good as it gets the coaches for those teams rank as some of my favorites to work with and the actual soccer is high-level stuff. As good as you will find in this state.

It stung removing that one from the daily schedule this year and if you have never gone get it on your planner for next spring.

District Final Soccer Saturday  

Sticking with soccer the Saturday of boys district final matches has become a favorite of mine over the years.

Much in the same way I associated district track meets with wet and stormy weather I always picture these Saturday mornings as picture perfect.

Something about the early start time and the post-game celebrations I’ve seen with all the strong soccer teams in the area make this a day I look forward to.

The State Tennis Meet

The Saturday of state tennis usually overlaps with the district soccer matches making it one of my favorite dates on the sports calendar.

Football at the UNI-Dome or basketball at Wells Fargo Arena are what spring to the minds of many sports fans when you talk about state tournaments in Iowa.

As a media member the events like state tennis where admission has been free and the stands are filled with families toting coolers are intimate and special.

Sports like tennis are a tight fraternity and the sportsmanship is always exemplary.

Day/Night Soccer Doubleheaders

Every spring there are inevitable a few days on the calendar when I pull off the cross-town soccer double dip.

I enjoy sitting on top of the hill at City High for a 4:15 kickoff and then hustling across town to catch a game under the lights at Barker Field at West High.

The older I get the tougher these doubleheaders are to pull off but I always see these days on the calendar as a challenge and that’s get my juices going.

Interviewing Coaches Like Rick and Anne Larew

There are so many coaches across every sport that I’ve missed being able to catch up with this spring but Regina soccer coaches Rick and Anne Larew are among my favorites to interview.

Both coaches have such a passion for the sport of soccer and it comes through every time I talk to them.

I’ve been on the fringe of a few jugs of cold water meant for coach Larew following state championships and his reaction to those ice water baths is always priceless.

Seeing the West Branch Soccer Programs Grow  

In the first year of varsity soccer both the West Branch girls and boys programs exceeded my expectations.

The West Branch girls went 2-10 while the boys posted a 7-5 record during their debut season.

I was really excited to watch those programs continue to improve this season, both brought back lots of contributors and seemed to have energy behind them.

The Solon Golf Invite

It’s relatively early in the season but this meet brings together almost all of the spring golf teams in our area and has quickly become a spring tradition for me to cover.

The golf has been good with teams like West Branch and Regina competing with host Solon but the conversations with the coaches in the clubhouse at this meet always stick out.

The Forwald/Coleman Relays

Depending on who you ask the track postseason begins with either conference or state qualifying meets but in my mind Forwald/Coleman has always been when things start to get real.

The annual City High meet kicks off a string of Thursday meets that climb in importance all the way through the opening day of the state meet.

Fortunately for me all the area schools that host a track meet do a nice job but few places around the state run a better meet than City High.

Sharing Sidelines and Press Boxes with Media Members

There are a lot of fantastic sports writers covering prep sports in this state and I’ve been fortunate to get to know many of them.

I’ve learned plenty in my time here from my peers in the business and consider several of them friends – friends that I’m missing this spring.

Sure, we keep in contact through Twitter or email but it’s not the same. I’m looking forward to seeing those friends back out doing what they love sometime soon.

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