The Nashua High School North boys lacrosse team starts off its first practice of the season with a run around the perimeter of Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Nashua athletic director Lisa Gingras had an extra,well, spring in her step at Stellos Stadium late Monday afternoon.

“Oh it’s awesome, absolutely awesome,” Gingras said of the start of spring practices. “I’ve been outside since 2:15, just walking around, seeing kids. Just for the kids to be outside, on Day 1, and actually on Day 1, being able to be be back at it.”

The local spring high school season is now officially underway.

Indeed, it seems spring sports will forever have a special place in the minds and planning of coaches, administrators and players after the season was completely cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“These seniors, they lost that season their sophomore year,” Gingras said. “Being back out here and being able to be outside on Day 1 is really important.”

Coaches and players were feeling the same thing.

“It feels like we’re in Shangra La right now,” South baseball coach James Gaj, whose field wasn’t 100 percent ready yet, said of using Stellos. “This is phenomenal. We’re spoiled to have this facility; there are a lot of places that don’t. … Sun’s shining, baseball is in the air. It feels great to get out here.”

Other schools are coming to Nashua to scrimmage, and Gaj knows that for a few of them, it may be their first time on a field – or even outside.

“We’re that far ahead,” Gaj said. “Everyone wants to come here. We probably could have gone on our field, but left field and the infield were a little soft. So because of that, we wanted to make sure we were OK.”

Especially since the Panthers had 50 student athletes trying out, up from last year’s 30, that low number due to the pandemic. They had the entire confines of Stellos for two hours before Nashua North boys and girls lacrosse took over, then Bishop Guertin girls after that.

“First day of spring, it’s wonderful,” North girls lacrosse coach Kristen Peterson said, noting that the participation numbers for the Titans are also good, enough to even have a JV team. “It’s a little different than coming off COVID or being with COVID. So looking forward to that.”

And being outside beats being inside any day, the coaches and athletes agreed. Some Marches that’s not possible.

“It’s always better on the field than on the basketball court trying to play lacrosse,” Peterson said.

A lot of spring sports would hold informal indoor workouts or open gyms, with any student welcome to come.

“The open gyms we don’t know who shows up from one week to the next,” Gaj said. “It’s almost like pickup. Here we see guys and how they did over the winter. (The open gyms) are more so to get kids who aren’t involved in the program in the school get involved in the program. … A lot of times you’ll find a diamond in the rough that way. We say all the time, we see the best athletes don’t play. That’s a way to get them involved.”

Now the fun starts as teams work toward the season openers the week of April 11.

In fall and winter, there are some teams, especially non-football, that don’t have three weeks for a preseason or need it.

But that’s not the case in baseball.

“Actually, yes, it’s warming up the arms,” Gaj said. “That’s one of the things we’re afraid of. If you have kids that throw all winter, all right, we’re cool with that. We have our winter workouts and open gyms. But there are other kids that don’t always throw. If they’re not, we want to make sure they have the proper ramp up time so they don’t get hurt. That’s where we see the most injuries in baseball, is with the arms.

“They show up for a tryout, figuring they have to light up the radar guns and do all that stuff. Having that ramp up period helps. That includes everybody (not just pitchers).”

Last year the schedule was geographical, with the clusters due to the pandemic. This year, the schedules, like the fall and winter, are back to being statewide, and, like those seasons, the tournaments aren’t open.

“Things feel a lot more normal now,” Gaj said. “We don’t have to worry about masks, we don’t have to worry about protocols, fan limits, the things that came with COVID. We’re happy about that.”

Nashua South baseball coach James Gaj, right, has the attention of his players during Monday’s first practice of the spring season at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

The open tournament actually helped the Panthers.

“It worked to our advantage because we were really, really young,” Gaj said. “It allowed us to put a bunch of different personnel on the field. But now it means something. … We’re playing to win this year.”

“I wouldn’t call it pressure, but we know that we have to win,” South shortstop River Hart, bound for SNHU next fall, said. “I know a lot of our senior guys, this is the last time they’ll be playing baseball.”

The athletes were simply happy to get things going.

“Amazing,” Hart said. “I didn’t play another sport during the year, I was all in on preparing for the season. … It’s all positive vibes out here. It’s awesome to get out here.”

In any event, spring has sprung, and everyone is taking a deep breath that it can be a spring without the trepidation of the winter.

“Pretty normal,” Gingras said. “I’m hoping the fact we’re all outside, spring will be good to go, unmasked, unlimited fans, as normal as it possibly can be.”