It’s not necessarily the start to the first ever girls’ South Dakota High School Activities Association softball season for both Colman-Egan and Flandreau that the coaches and teams were hoping for, but excitement is building that there might actually be an actual game played this next week.
Once again, weather depending.
Cancellations due to snow piled high yet on ball fields throughout the area have been ongoing. Practices for now are being held inside the gyms, primarily and worked around the golf and track teams, who are also inside.
“Our team is full of athletes,” said Flandreau Head Coach and 4th Grade Teacher Ryan Mallinger.
“There are a couple girls out this year that haven’t played for the past four or five summers and want to give it a chance. As we get to play some games and learn to play together, I think we’ll be a pretty solid team. When we finally get outside, we’ll get to see everything come together.”

Flandreau’s latest disappointment was a tournament that was postponed this past weekend in Beresford. Before that, it was a game in Castlewood. A photo from the coach in Tri-Valley over the weekend, Mallinger said, had them call the game already for this Thursday as well.
Next week. Mallinger, assistant coach Niki Nelson, and the first-ever Flandreau SDHSAA sanctioned girls softball team are staying hopeful — their first actual game will be played this next week.
Colman-Egan Head Coach Stormey Mette hopes for the same as their fields also remain buried, and more snow is in the forecast. The hope, she said, is for at least 20 contests for the new team this spring despite the cancellations.
“I’m looking forward to the girls growing and learning and making South Dakota history. I’m looking forward to all of it, honestly. Seeing them grow into a team, grow into themselves, I’m just overall very excited about the season,” Mette told the Moody County Enterprise.
There had been concern that the new softball programs might take away from both school’s track teams, golf as well, given both districts are small and both track teams have traditionally been strong in their conferences. Those concerns appear in large part to be alleviated as both districts and their coaches work to ensure athletes wanting to participate in more than one spring sport have that opportunity.
“Whenever you have more sports during a season, you kind of compete for athletes but Coach Mallinger has been great to work with,” head Flandreau Track Coach Owen Parsley said. “We’re trying to find ways to share the athletes and share practice times…so instead of having to choose one or the other, Mr. Mallinger said it great, we want this opportunity to be for kids to be a part of as much as they can. So we’re trying to coordinate on schedules, not work against each other. Our programs shouldn’t be competition, but benefit each other.”
Mette feels the same about Colman-Egan’s similar approach.
“I think it’s good, I love that my school offers all of that to them, they kind of need to and my girls, they love it. They come from track and keep running around and put in their best work. I don’t think it’s a problem, I think it’s an advantage. It breeds leaders, honestly. With the older girls doing so much, they’re great role models for the younger girls on the team and in the school. They teach them what a commitment to a team is like,” said Mette.
“The girls are excited,” said Flandreau’s Assistant Coach Niki Nelson. “It’s a great community thing, and they get to say they were on the first team ever. Everyone is looking forward to getting outside!”