By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn’t chomping at the bit to start a brand new year and put the disappointment and struggles of 2020 behind them.
That includes athletes, coaches and teams at all athletic levels who have dealt with the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus for nearly 10 months.
Everybody is in search of some positivity in their lives and here’s some wishes for the new year that could help in that regard:
LET THEM PLAY -- Win, lose or draw, the No. 1 goal for the new year should be one that was once taken for granted, to get the opportunity to play a full season without the cloud of uncertainty hanging over teams who have had to worry if they were going to get that chance from day to day and sometimes hour to hour.
PARDON ME, EXCUSE ME! -- Nothing can be hurried, as we’re not out of the woods yet, but here’s hoping for packed stadiums and gymnasiums in the very near future. Officials at the local and state level should be applauded for their actions to try to keep participants and spectators alike safe during this pandemic, but there will be no signs bigger that we’re on the right track to normalcy than fighting a crowd to cheer on your favorite teams.
STRIKE UP THE BAND -- We can never forget that the bands, cheerleaders, dance teams, etc., who work very hard to hone their crafts, have also had their worlds rocked by the pandemic. The return of the pomp and circumstance that have been missing from largely empty venues will be another sign that normalcy is on its way.
HERE’S TO HAVING TOO MANY PLAYERS -- Some schools in various sports are fighting a lack of participation numbers. A trend that some teams were already fighting has been intensified in recent months, particularly with schools using remote learning and not on campus. Some parents have been understandably reluctant for their children to participate in sports given the current health situation, but hopefully as the situation improves so will the numbers. Bottom line, student-athletes need all the positive influence that activities provide.
ROUTINE -- Coaches thrive on routine and detest anything that gets in the way of their day to day operations. Routine is a word that has been missing since mid-March and hopefully teams once again have to get used to dealing with the boredom of doing the same thing day after day in the very near future.
ENDING A STREAK -- The last time Highland Park’s football team tasted victory was 2014 and the Scots will take a 56-game losing streak into the ‘21 campaign. Here’s wishing for a long overdue victory celebration next fall.
JUST A CHANCE – Extreme emotions, from both triumph and heartbreak, are on constant display during state tournaments. It’s probably safe to say that participants in last year’s state basketball tournament still haven’t completely recovered from having their bids for a state title snatched away with two games remaining while participants in spring sports never got the chance to begin their championship quests. Here’s hoping that teams get that chance to finish what they start in ‘21.
