As the Mankato Peppers 12U Elite team warmed up for practice Monday at Sibley Park, things almost felt normal.

MANKATO — In the world of the COVID-19 pandemic, campus visits are prohibited.

It happens every spring as the training camps wind down and rosters are set: A lot of players get released.

The first June bug crashed into my windshield on my drive home the other night, a visual reminder of summer’s arrival.

Imagine three months from now, and you’re getting ready to attend a football game at Blakeslee Stadium on a beautiful Saturday.

After nearly three months without high-school sports, a small but tangible step toward a return to play has been taken.

By July, we might be able to watch professional sports.

There’s been a lot of “Mount Rushmore” talk over the past few months, so I’ve decided to get in on the fun and turn it into a series.

MANKATO — The Northwoods League will resume play in North Dakota in June. The plan is for the league’s Wisconsin teams to begin playing baseball on July 1.

It’s only been 10 years since Pat Garvin was a student at Bethany Lutheran College, competing on the men’s basketball team.

Organized team sports still aren’t completely back, but things appear to be moving in that direction.

In most summers, the Hart and Wojcik families would already be hosting Mankato MoonDogs players and attending games, enjoying time at Franklin Rogers Park.

The blessing of my inclination to pessimism is that all surprises are pleasant. The curse is that I’m always aware of the downside to things.

Springtime is well underway.

Minnesota State football coach Todd Hoffner said that in Division II, you’re always trying to justify how much money is spent on athletics so anytime you’re forced into cost-saving decisions, there’s concern that budget cuts may become permanent.

We kind of take for granted the successful athletic programs at Minnesota State.

Simply put, baseball is a big deal in New Ulm.

There haven’t been many non-virus sports stories over the past two months for obvious reasons.

Since Matt Margenthaler became the men’s basketball coach at Minnesota State 20 years ago, he’s been pretty good at supplementing the roster with transfers.

As some parts of Minnesota begin to reopen this week, various sports organizations will not be starting that process yet.

The big news of the week is more like a running rumor: Players union and major league management are reportedly negotiating details for a truncated season that would open around July 1.

The world of wildlife spins on without interruption, even in the face of a pandemic.

In a normal offseason, the Minnesota State men’s basketball roster would be set for next season.

After last season, Stillwater graduate Nick Novak figured he’d played his final game with the Mankato MoonDogs.

MANKATO — It’s ironic that with the high-school golf season canceled, Leo Gellert is playing more golf than usual.

The Minnesota fishing opener seemed to go well, with some social distancing challenges overcome as plenty of people were on the water, trying to locate elusive walleye.

If you’re a runner, you’ve likely had plenty of time to work at your craft this spring. It’s one of the few things that can still be done with COVID-19 spreading.

Last week we revisited Adrian’s record, Rachel’s 60, Kirby’s day, Lehman’s breakthrough and Black Jack’s unforgettable Game 7.

MANKATO — In 2016, Richard Kamara was a promising junior quarterback at Mankato East.

The worst thing that could have happened was they say “no.”

The bad breaks just keep coming for high-school athletes.

The Free Press

What happens to a tower if the foundation is ripped out from under it?

Two sets of headlights with trailers in tow coasted past me at an intersection in the early morning darkness.

Last season, the South Dakota School of Mines men’s basketball team used an eight-player rotation, but four of those players graduated and three more had decided to transfer.

Golf has been a godsend for those who have been stuck inside.

While he expects it to be a little cold on the water Saturday for the annual Minnesota fishing opener, the fishing should warm you up, said Craig Soupir, area fisheries supervisor at Waterville.

I’ve written about some of the great teams and seasons in Minnesota sports history, but what about some of the great individual performances?

Seven years ago, Adam Thielen was the inexperienced rookie receiver, looking to learn from veterans as he tried to establish himself as an NFL player.

He was the Paul Bunyan of fastballs, with one important distinction:

In a normal year, the action at Caswell Park would be just about ready to hit its stride.

Expert dam-building beavers provide distinctive entertainment.

Coming out of Mankato East, Dez Bassett said it was important that he receive a scholarship to play football, so he went to Division II Concordia-St. Paul.

Each year, the National Football League draft creates far more interest than it should.