The unseasonably warm late winter weather allowed area track and field teams more time outdoors than they would normally get.

For Brent Van Hauen, head coach of the defending champion Pella High boys, he says it’s a bit of a Catch 22. You want to get out and take advantage of the opportunity, but you have to be careful not to try to do too much, too soon.

“We plan out for the whole year knowing that we want to be at this point by mid-April and this point by State. So you have to kind of pull the reigns back on us as coaches sometimes to remember to stay within the plan. These kids are only in their third, fourth, fifth week of the season. We don’t need to over run them or over jump them at this point.”

The Pella boys and girls participated in three indoor meets earlier this month, and will have their first two outdoor meets next week at Waukee and Knoxville.