Last weekend, the softball team lost three out of four games at home, two to the Bowling Green Falcons, and one more to the Toledo Rockets. This weekend, they'll be playing host to the Central Michigan Chippewas and the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
All of this was a rare event.
No, it's not rare that Buffalo plays these teams. This is, after all, the middle of the conference season. But it is unusual that these teams are coming to Buffalo. Softball is an outdoor sport, and that does not mix well with below-freezing temperatures and a few inches of snow.
"Most of the girls, when they're being recruited to play know that when you're going to school in the North that you're going to be traveling a lot during the year, so that you can play," said Bulls' head coach Marie Curran.
This season, like last season, the Bulls have two homestands, totaling 11 games in the friendly confines of Nan Harvey Field.
Compare that to the staggering 43 road games on the schedule. Spending that much time away from Buffalo, and in places like Miami, Tampa Bay and Greenville, N.C., it's a wonder they're even willing to come back.
"The kids like to spend time in the sun," Curran said.
However, just because a team can't play ballgames at home until the end of March, doesn't mean it can't be considered a championship contender.
"A great example for us was that Michigan won the National Championship last year, and all over ESPN was how they played their first 33 games on the road because they couldn't play at home," Curran said. "So we live pretty much the same life. All of the northern schools do."
According to Curran, the athletes don't lose much focus, being unable to spend time in Buffalo over the weekend. In fact, for most players it is a chance to catch up on much-needed sleep or homework.
"Sometimes their focus is much better on the road because there aren't as many distractions," she said. "The dorms are noisier to sleep in than a hotel."
Because of the team's travel schedule, sometimes it is necessary to make concessions.
"I meet with them and tell them what their life is going to be like-before we even see them play softball-to let them decide if this is what they want to do," Curran said. "I'll be honest with them, I tell them we fly out of town Friday, we'll play six games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we fly home Sunday night and you go to eight o'clock class Monday morning."
Such a schedule would be unappealing to many students, but for a student-athlete that plays an outdoor game at a northern school, it becomes the assumed way of life.
"By the time you get to be a junior or senior, it doesn't even phase you anymore," Curran said.
"I've gotten used to it. Most of the girls really like the opportunity to play on February 20 and wear our shorts uniform because we're in Miami," Curran said.
Now, there are times when missing a class, even an exam, is entirely unavoidable, but in those situations, the student-athlete finally catches a break, right?
"Sometimes it's harder. They take their exams sometimes a day or two earlier with the professor in his or her office," Curran said. "They have to make up all the work and they're not allowed to miss any of it. They're not allowed to get any extra benefits like that at all. Not only that the professor shouldn't allow it, but we would also get in trouble with the NCAA if the professors were letting them get away with it."
Most professors and heads of majors do understand that the life of a student-athlete is difficult, and will therefore help them get the most out of their education at UB.
"A lot of the majors at UB are very willing to work with athletes, because they know that they are disciplined to know that they are committed to being a Division I athlete and be a good student. You have to be very good with your time-management skills," Curran said.
For Curran, though, the most important thing is getting her student-athletes through college with an eye towards being a professional.
"For us, it's all about their education, and they're doing a great job with that," Curran said.
"We have crazy major kids," Curran added. "I have engineers, pharmacists, a lot of kids who are going to be making a lot more money than me one day."
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
