Spring sports are a large part of the second-semester student climate at Ida B. Wells. There are seven sports offered from late February through late May, reeling in over 400 student athletes, according to athletic director, Michael Nolan. IBW offers a range of spring sports, including track & field, baseball, golf, tennis, softball, baseball and lacrosse. Nolan said, “They all lend to something unique in nature. Baseball and Softball use bats and hit pitches which is exciting. Lacrosse is a fast-paced game with lots of excitement. Track meets are a ton of fun because of all the different events. Golf is super rad because it is such a mental and skill game. Tennis is also fun because of the fast-paced nature of the sport.”
The track & field team is a huge group of athletes that perform multiple different athletic events. These events range from sprinting, middle-distance running, long-distance running, throwing various implements, jumping, and hurdling. Athletes participate individually in their chosen events, typically engaging in a mix of running and field events. This sport focuses on building teamwork and working together on personal growth. Thor Esbensen has been a track and field coach at Ida B. Wells for the past 20 years and said, “it’s a good place where every athlete comes together in one place and we all work towards a common cause.”
This upcoming season is forecasted to be exciting. “We have a really special team this year with a good group of leaders, hardworking returning athletes, and promising talent coming up from the youth teams,” Esbensen said. The track team is always looking out for new prospective athletes, so if you are at all interested in a spring sport, you are encouraged to come try out track and field. Track meets are a highlight of the spring sports season. Between the running events, the various field events and athletes jumping between heats, spectators always have an eye-catching competition to watch. One piece of advice from the head coach is to try new events as a way of expanding your skill set and getting a deeper sense of teamwork.
As the track & field season picks up, the meets become more frequent. Some special meets this year include the first home meet against Roosevelt and Benson on March 20, the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays on April 26, and JV/Varsity Districts at Lincoln from May 6 to May 9. Come out and support the IBW track & field team this year by attending these meets and cheering on the team!
Baseball is a bat-to-ball sport that has fostered a community of like-minded athletes who strive for resilience and hard work. Jeremy Shetler has been a coach at Ida B. Wells High School for the past 27 years and has shaped the baseball team into a strong group of players both on and off the field. Despite the popularity of the American Pastime, Shetler said, “it’s pretty hard to pick up and it’s an overall expensive sport — it’s not as easy as people make it out to be.” The challenges that baseball poses encourage team growth and a better understanding of what you can control, which is reflective both on and off the baseball field. Failure is a large part of the sport. “It’s the only sport where you’re considered a good player if you’re successful three out of ten times,” said Shetler.
There is a positive outlook for the 2024 season with a strong varsity team that hopes to conquer the district by winning multiple Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) championships and making it to state. IBW also has driven JV teams that are working towards hosting and winning the PIL playoffs this year. “There is a role for everyone who wants to come out, but baseball is definitely something that takes commitment and involvement,” Shetler said when giving advice for prospective players. Ida B. Wells’ baseball games are riveting to watch and participate in. The slow-natured buildup and sudden bursts of action make every game just as exciting as the last. As a sport that encourages failure and growth, both team and personal, baseball is a crucial part of the spring sports season.
Baseball has many games this year between the JV and Varsity teams. All game dates, times, and locations can be found in the Trivory app, but a couple of highlighted games this season include the Varsity Baseball Jamboree on March 11, Varsity and JV games at Roseburg on March 14, and the Varsity Baseball game at Lincoln on May 3. Come support the IBW JV and Varsity baseball teams this year by attending the games and cheering on the team!
Tennis is a really popular sport at Ida B. Wells and has a strong team of both JV and Varsity athletes. This racket sport program was rebuilt by Barry Daigle and Owen Burcham, the head coaches for the girl’s and guy’s tennis teams. Both coaches have a rich history with the sport and have worked towards building successes off of the wins of the previous years. With their battles against schools throughout PIL, tennis is an exciting sport to play and follow. When talking about the best aspects of the sport, Daigle said, “tennis is a lifelong sport, it’s just one of those things that you can do well into your 80’s.”
This upcoming year is expected to be an engaging season with hopes of welcoming a large freshman group and sending multiple returning, top-scoring players to districts. The tennis team has a history of creating an inviting community with the team as mentioned by Owen Burcham said, “tennis always creates such a strong team community and it is just an amazing way to connect with people.” Much like baseball, tennis takes great value in failure and learning from mistakes as the coaches help the players grow and learn from experience. One piece of advice from Daigle is “mistakes are just as valuable as the wins in tennis. It can be frustrating at times but it’s a really rewarding game.” As the team progresses, the coaches are continuing to create an inviting environment, their most recent task being the push to make tennis a no-cut sport here at IBW.
Most of the tennis games this year will be held at Gabriel Park. From singles to doubles, all match dates, times and locations can be found in the Trivory app. Some exciting games this season include the first varsity girl’s tennis match at Oregon Episcopal School (OES) on March 11, a varsity boy’s game at Gabriel Park on April 23, and a girl’s and guy’s dual meet at Gabriel Park on May 9. Gabriel Park isn’t far from the school, so come cheer on the tennis players of IBW!
Golf is one of the most successful spring sports teams here at Ida B Wells coached by Mick Mulligan and Chris Hudson. With practice five days per week, the golf team draws in a driven, hardworking crowd of athletes. Mulligan’s favorite aspect of the sport is, “being outside and challenging myself to get better. It is a hard game, but it’s also my favorite thing to do in my free time,” Goals for the team this year include having a great time on the course and watching the improvement of the new and returning athletes throughout the season. Since the graduation of Helen Brodhal, the 2023 golf state champion, the golf team has a positive outlook on the upcoming season as the talent continues in the new and returning golfers. Mulligan is a passionate coach with a deep love for the sport. “Golf is a lifelong sport that is best enjoyed with friends. The earlier you learn the game of golf, the more time you have to experience the challenges, enjoyment and obsession with the game that comes with playing golf,” Mulligan said.
Lacrosse is a club sport offered by Ida B. Wells coached by Jessica Ellefson and Kyle Hincks. Lacrosse is a fast-paced, engaging sport that encourages strong community and athlete improvement. Women’s lacrosse team coach, Ellefson, grew up playing this sport and said, “this community played a huge role in making me the person/coach/educator I am today and I hope we can create an environment that invites everyone on the team to feel included and supported.”
New players are always encouraged to join seeing as it is a good way to get out and move your body all whilst creating lifelong connections with your coaches and teammates. Lacrosse is an anybody sport, Coach Ellefson mentioned, “I love that everyone can come out for lacrosse. And that it’s such a team effort, you rely on everyone on the field.” The game itself will have you on the edge of your seat with the swift use of skill and strategy between plays. There are many lacrosse games this season between the JV and Varsity teams. Come support the IBW JV and Varsity lacrosse teams this year by attending the games and cheering on the team!
Softball coach, Krissy Govertsen, has been coaching the Ida B Wells softball team for two years and is excited about this upcoming season as she fills the role as head coach. Her high hopes for the season extend past her coaching. “My primary hope for this season is to cultivate a fun and healthy competitive environment where every athlete has the opportunity to improve their skills daily,” she said. With a riveting combination of speed and strategy, softball captivates onlookers and draws you in with every pitch.
Softball is always looking for new prospective players. One piece of advice from Govertsen is to “focus on making incremental progress each day. Learning a new sport can be daunting, but consistent effort and a growth mindset will lead to improvement over time.” With an emphasis on process goals, softball players gain valuable life skills that can be used in every setting.
This upcoming season, the team wants to rack in wins across the various PIL games while making it to the playoffs. Come support the IBW softball teams by showing up to the games! Three highlight games include all-level games at Century High School on March 22, a Varsity game at Grant on April 17, and a Varsity game at Cleveland on May 11. Your support does make a difference. Govertsen said, “My favorite aspect of softball is the camaraderie and energy when cheering for teammates at bat.”
Spring sports at Ida B. Wells is a great way to end the school year. There are so many options offered, all fostering their own communities. From rain to shine (and occasionally snow), spring sports athletes are working on athletic and self-improvement both on and off the field. If you are not a participant in any of the offered sports, you are greatly encouraged to go out and watch the games and meets to support your friends and peers.
