By Marty Gordon
The decision by the Montgomery County School Board Tuesday night to allow our high schools to resume competitive sports is a bright light in what has been a long dark tunnel.
The big question, though, is how much damage — emotionally, psychologically and physically — has been done to our children.
The past 10 months have been unexplainable. What will we tell youngsters 20 years from now about what happened in 2020? I am lost for words to even consider what I might say or write.
It all started in March when the NCAA shut down any plans for March Madness. I am one of those individuals who look forward to this tournament every year. The National Basketball Association followed with the stoppage of their season.
Sports as we knew it came to a screeching halt. For so many people, the games from high school through the pros are a way to escape at least temporarily from the problems associated with everyday life. Not anymore. Instead, sports itself became a big part of what would follow us for over 300 days.
Athletics like baseball, softball and football were not held. Student-athletes received word there would be no summer sports, and the fall was completely lost.
Youngsters under the age of 12 were not allowed to play any recreation sport of any kind. Some numbers show that population was an estimated 40 million kids. As we finished 2020, most of the kids were left sitting at home playing video games.
During this “lockdown,” I have learned many things about sports as it has changed the way we participate and watch the games. There is so much to consider and to ponder.
Kids will lose interest in sports and probably pick up the video game controller at an alarming rate.
Fear cannot keep us from living. Nothing has shown that sports is spreading the virus. Yes, we have had shutdowns of individual sports when a positive case is discovered, but in no way are our games a “super spreader.”
Proper protocols have taken place in and around all sports to prevent the spread. This includes the elimination of high-fives, handshakes after a game and true sportsmanship that will now be lost.
Physical activity to a large extent has been lost during this battle. As a result, many of our local kids have gained weight because of their inactivity.
The differences in playing versus not playing according to a particular area of Virginia and/or adjacent states have created a stigma of “why not us” and of course, the slogan of “Let them play.” There should have been a uniform response to the virus for athletics.
Turmoil has created the demand for a change in the leadership for school leaders across the board. This is not fair to those trying to keep our youth safe during a pandemic.
There has been a loss of personal relationships. In so many cases, we cannot turn back what children of all ages have lost by not having daily relationships with their friends and coaching mentors.
We have lost the idea of community as there are no fans in the stands. Our athletes have lost the cheers from the crowd, and playing in an empty gym has become the norm.
Depression is looming. We do not know how the youngsters will be affected, but their mental health is a concern. The lack of camaraderie among teammates and classmates is a big issue still hanging out there. Kids are tough cookies, but depression is something I fear for them.
Travel sports are taking over where other organized sports have stopped. This is good for some, but bad for others because the lower-income kids who might play recreation or school sports will not get the same opportunity.
Some of these changes are here to stay. Some are positive and some are negative depending on how you look at it. I do believe masks are now a part of the norm. Sanitizing athletic equipment needs to continue and more might be needed.
The overall sports world has been chaotic, and rules are being changed on a daily basis. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
I’m sorry to tell you this, but I don’t believe sports at all levels will ever be the same again. We won’t be able to go back to the way it was. As I matter of fact, it’s been so long I don’t remember how it used to be. I definitely don’t know how to write about it.
I do know I feel sad for our kids.
