According to the Public Schools Athletic League(PSAL), softball games are not automatically cancelled due to rain if the home field is turf. In other cases, if a game was on a dirt field and it was raining, then the game would be postponed because it’s too dangerous to play on.

Even though turf can absorb rain better than dirt, it’s still a risk to play on.

Athletes should not have to play the first inning or wait until cancellation if the weather conditions aren’t fit to play in.

When it rains, everything gets wet, and players can slip while running; they can lose control while throwing the ball, or the bat can accidentally slip out of their hands and hurt another player.

Many high schoolers that play are new at the sport, and anything can go wrong. No sport is more important than someone’s safety.

To ensure everyone’s safety, stricter weather rules and better communication systems should be created so everyone knows when it’s too dangerous to play. Players’ health should always come first.

WJPS 12th grader Jane Castrejon said, “We aren’t pro athletes; we should not be playing when it’s raining. When everything is wet, it’s easy for something to slip out of someone’s hand and hurt another player.”

WJPS 10th grader Ruby Panepinto said, “I think it’s dangerous playing games in the rain regardless if it’s turf or dirt; someone can slip and get hurt, and it’s pointless having to go through all the work to get to the field and then getting wet and ending up not playing.”

Photo by Ashley Zaracho