Spring is usually a time of endings and beginnings for high school athletes. The spring sports are coming to a close, and the fall sports athletes begin to prepare for their seasons.

The COVID 19 outbreak, however, has changed all of this. 

Teams are now limited to Zoom meetings and are not allowed to meet face to face. This is a huge setback for teams, as they are not allowed to get real on-field repetitions of plays. Regulations currently prevent practices from being held until July 1.

There is a wave of uncertainty around everything, which makes it difficult to make predictions about the future. It has become a stressful situation for those involved who simply want to play.

No one wants to lose a season of the sport they love, like the spring sports athletes did. The four years of high school can be the last time that people get to play the organized sports they have loved since they could walk.

These competitions are more important to people than governments may realize. Safety comes first, but there are regulations that can be taken to ensure safety while allowing the players to play.

Football is not the only event that is impacted by this uncertainty. All fall sports face uncertainty.

And as part of the “Friday Night Lights” tradition that is such a big part of many communities, the cheerleading team and the marching band are affected. Football games are not the only times that these groups perform, but Friday nights are a great opportunity for them.

There is also a community impact. Many people come to football games and other fall sports events and interact with friends and family. Losing those would have a huge impact on the community.

In a time of uncertainty, all that everyone can do is hold out hope.