Two season sports provide extra camaraderie among athletes

Looking back on her first year at the University of South Dakota, sophomore Kaitlyn Krzyzanowski didn’t know what college golf would bring, but she’s thankful her fall season helped her adjust to school before jumping into a competitive spring season.

“It was really hard to adjust coming into my freshman year,” she said. “I’m used to golf being one season then moving on. Having it in the fall and having to learn before spring, it helps to have that initial season.”

Krzyzanowski is majoring in strategic communications and admits to being the girl who stays in sometimes to make sure she gets her homework done.

“With golf you’re gone a lot of Mondays and Tuesdays. You’re nowhere to be found,” Krzyzanowski said.

Women’s and men’s golf is one of six teams with two separate seasons, the others being softball, tennis, cross country and track.

Track doesn’t wait long to transition seasons, moving to the indoor season almost immediately after cross country with the first practice set for Jan. 17.

Softball, however, ended in September. With a long break before spring conference games, softball players use the fall semester for more than just warming up arms and bats.

“Fall is definitely about team building,” said junior Yvon Minogue. “This year, we have five new freshmen and lost a lot of seniors, so it’s been hard. Everyone’s trying to get a spot, and everyone’s trying to get to know the field together.”

Minogue said the team works more as a mentoring system with its younger players during the fall season.

“We try to tell the freshmen it’s going to be difficult,” Minogue said. “Sophomore year was a lot better because I knew what I was getting myself into.”

The softball team moves onto the busier spring season one week before the spring semester begins. The schedule for the semester cuts spring break out of the equation.

Golf ended its fall season last month. The team won’t have official practice until spring semester opens up. For now, it’s just small hitting practice and workouts.

Krzyzanowski said she takes the mentality of fall as the prep season for the competition season.

“It’s a nice dynamic,” Krzyzanowski said. “It’s practice, and it’s tournament play. Then once spring comes, we’re going to go into the more important competitions.”

Cross country provides a different feeling for athletes, and the coaches even treat the two seasons differently.

Head cross country coach Dan Fitzsimmons said the fall season provides unique motivating factors for his athletes. His women’s team won the conference title last weekend and now have an opportunity at winning three conference titles in 2014-15.

“Somebody’s getting ready for a great indoor track season,” Fitzsimmons said. “Last year, our men were one point away from the triple crown. Now, our women want to be the first to win the triple crown.”

Still, some of the athletes see a huge change in their academics between seasons.

Fall is easier on schoolwork for Minogue. The season has less practices and traveling, but she had to adjust.

“My freshman year it was tough because you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” Minogue said.

But fall season also brings athletes together. When Krzyzanowski was looking to fit in somewhere at school, her team grew on her.

“It helps, especially your freshman year, at least you already have a group of people who have similar interests,” Krzyzanowski said. “Then you can move out from there.”