Schwenke receives deserved honor
The man who founded the softball program at Coeur d’Alene High School will now have his name permanently attached to the school’s field.
The school board approved the name “Larry Schwenke Field” at a board meeting Monday.
Schwenke, 60, who retired last year after 14 years as CdA’s athletic director, started the softball program and coached the Vikings to 12 straight state slowpitch championships. He resigned following the 1993 season to become the school’s athletic director.
A dedication ceremony will be held April 19 between games of a doubleheader against Lewiston.
“It’s beyond belief. I’m at a loss for words,” Schwenke said. “I was so blessed to have the opportunity to work with the girls and assistant coaches in the program all those years. All the credit, really, goes to them. I’m very humbled by it.”
Naming the field in honor of Schwenke is appropriate for many reasons. Schwenke spearheaded the switch from slowpitch to fastpitch on a statewide basis, and later lobbied the state activities association to sponsor state tournaments for the sport.
Schwenke also promoted the development of the athletic fields south of the football stadium that included not only the first on-campus softball field, but the baseball field, tennis courts and soccer field.
Larry Bieber, the man who followed Schwenke as head softball coach and continues in that capacity, is thrilled the field will honor his friend.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic,” Bieber said. “He’s the one who got it all started. I couldn’t be more happy for him.”
Still battling weather
Out in Spirit Lake, they’re about to give up hope on playing baseball and softball games at Timberlake. The Tigers softball and baseball teams still can’t see their fields for all the snow.
“It’s highly doubtful we’ll get on our field,” Timberlake softball coach Mike Menti told me Sunday, a day after more snow fell. “It would take Mother Nature getting back on our side. She’s been a little cruel so far.”
Menti wasn’t being bitter when he said that. In fact, he can’t help but laugh. At least he can see that laughing is better than being angry.
The district softball tournament begins in early May. Timberlake’s field had about 16 inches of snow going into this week. Athletic director Tim Cronnelly schedules the softball and baseball teams away generally until the second week of April each year to allow plenty of time for the fields to be prepared. That gives Timberlake’s teams time to play their home league games the final three weeks of the month.
Menti figures it could take two weeks for the snow to melt. Then the field would need another week, at the least, to dry and set up. So that means the earliest Timberlake could get on its field – barring a heat wave – is the last week of the month. League play is supposed to be concluded by April 29.
“The news isn’t any better in Sandpoint, where snow continues to cover the city-owned softball and baseball fields. Sandpoint athletic director Cheryl Klein was actually considering moving some games to Bonners Ferry in hopes of playing closer to home.
Bonners Ferry, it seems, had less snow than Timberlake or Sandpoint this year. Go figure – Bonners Ferry … a banana belt.
This ‘n’ that
IML and Inland Empire League officials will have to make a decision soon regarding their conference seasons because it’s highly doubtful a complete schedule can be played.
“Lewiston baseball coach Tom Grunenfelder got his 300th career victory last month. It came in the second game of a sweep over visiting Coeur d’Alene. The Bengals beat the Vikings 3-0 and 11-1. Lewiston pitchers Brett Watson and Josh Richardson combined for 29 strikeouts. Watson had 17.
“The Lake City baseball team is scheduled to play at Coeur d’Alene today at 4 while the softball game between the schools will be played at LC at 4.
“The Christina Finney Co-Ed Relays at Post Falls, postponed March 27, will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday.