What does the wait to begin High School football mean?

Earlier this week, the decision was made by the VHSL to delay the start of the high school football season until February. 

With that decision comes several outcomes, both positive and negative. Health, safety,  and well-being are at the forefront of those items.

First, the delay means that student athletes will have to wait a few more months before possibly beginning competition.  Many have been out of that arena for a while as multisport athletes since the spring season was also canceled due to the current pandemic. 

The delay gives more time for a hopeful vaccine, the general public to adapt and change to the current environment and for planners to appropriately assess what things will look like once competition begins.

Granted, the latter two could have already been in motion but the progress we've seen as been less than admirable.  Particularly the general public's reaction to guidelines for safety.

Those people not following guidelines are the same one's clamoring about the current state of sports.  Most dont have a dog in the fight; that is they arent educators on the front line, they dont have children that participate in the public education environment and they aren't funding any health or education related initiative. 

As much as I enjoy sports at all levels, I believe public safety takes precedence.  It's not just the team participants that have to be considered either. It's the coaches and trainers, the transportation assistants, the fans and media, and the list goes on and on.

Do I know if taking precautions will change the outcome of how and when the virus spreads? No I dont and I'm not going to pretend I do. But does the general public know? I dont think so, I see many opinions put out but that's just what they are, opinions.  Everyone is entitled to their own but it's not worth chancing a person's life when there is a lot of unknown. 

So the best players will train a few more months. They will take this time as an opportunity to get better. They will focus on their diets, their skills, and the goals they have for when competition does begin.

The rest of us need to do the best we can with our day-to-day lives until there is more certainty. Do I love sports? Yes.  Would I still play if I could? Yes. Should I risk putting my son and his friends in the way of getting sick for the sake of my and others entertainment? No.

What say you?

How to wear a mask

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic,  state and local governments have enacted guidelines, requirements, and restrictions in hope of slowing down a deadly virus. 

One of the agenda items has to do with wearing a mask. There have been several reports saying that the proper use of a mask helps to stop the spread of the Coronavirus in areas where people typically are in close proximity with each other.

Many major companies have decided that mask wearing is a benefit to the general public as well as their employees. With businesses opening and revenue beginning to come in, these companies want to ensure they provide a safe environment that will not only allow them to do business now but also in the future. 

With the slowing of the virus as the frontrunner in my opinion,  and the economy coming in second, both are very important to life as we know it.

In order to achieve both of these, the theory is that proper mask wearing along with social distancing,  sanitation, and the other suggestions in place need to be followed closely.

Typically,  I like to minimize risk in most situations so when I enter a place of business with a sign that says masks required to enter I assume people will have masks on. I also assume that these people will wear them properly with regards to their own safety at a minimum. 

Ironically, however, I visited several of these places over the weekend where neither was done. What's more is that the employees of the company that posted the guidelines were the ones not adhering 50% of the time. 

There's not much gray area when it comes to wearing one; you either are or are not. Wearing a mask properly though must be something we need to teach a class on. I saw many not covering the nose and many more covering the chin only.

I wasnt aware that our chins had so much vulnerability to the virus we are fighting as a nation. And with our nose being a focal point for so many other things,  including illness, I assumed most people would want to at least protect themselves first.

My point is not whether requiring a mask will slow the virus or not but rather, with all the indicators and statements about what needs to be done and why, shouldn't this be taken more seriously?

With half the population doing their best to follow the guidelines and the other half living carefree, it seems that this is just a duplication of what we see in society.

Some folks give their best effort and others dont. Both get the repercussions of their actions.  With a virus that has already caused illness and death, why are people risking their lives as well as others they know?

Does changing names change thinking?

In the past six months, there has been a spark in our world regarding racial tension and divide that exists throughout America.  People have been outspoken and support has steamrolled more than ever before. 

There has been and certainly is a need for this topic to be at the forefront.  There should never be segregation or a different circumstances set upon a group solely because of their race, gender, sexual orientation,  age, physical and mental abilities, etc.

A question regarding some of the subjects that are being used as a basis of change has come up, however. Broadly, the desire to "erase" or "change" history has become a subject of discussion. 

From statues being removed to changing high school names as well as sports mascot names, there has been a major uprising that this will promote forward movement. 

On one side, the thought is that while this will not change the past, it will show the proper approach as we discontinue honoring those who did things that weren't exactly honorable when it comes to racial equality. 

On the other side, there are those that feel by making these changes, it's simply blocking out what has already occurred in a society that wasnt as evolved as it is in present times.  

Of course,  there are still the few that have this narrow minded and irrational logic that put them in a third group. One that neither of the first two can understand and one that is going to need a real wake up call because their mentality is absurd. 

As the leaders of this group for change move forward and blaze the path for change, what are your thoughts about history and name changes as they pertain to the landscape for social change?

In the Shadows

Why live in the shadows?

It's a safety zone to shield from discomfort.  Things you dont want to deal with or perceptions you dont want to display to others. 

This gives a false reality and doesnt allow you to be your true self. Not only is it damaging to others, it can be damaging to oneself. 

Mentally you become a false variant of your true self. Some things are genuine but many are not. The actions taken are what you thing others expect of you.

What you think is appropriate,  but ultimately things stay bottled up inside.

The more bottling, the worse the negative effects become. 

What do you do?

Be you. 

Easier said than done after years of the behaviors described above. It takes effort, being okay with feeling uncomfortable and knowing that feeling will dissipate. 

It takes a belief that the unknown is better than the known. It takes having faith and knowing a higher power has our paths predetermined.  

We have to believe and do our best to know if we put our best effort and be ourselves,  we will live our best life, we can be happy with who we are, others will see our true selves and we do not have to live in the shadows. 

Your childhood: Then and Now

We are a product of our environment and the foundation of our childhood. 

Some people grow up with two parents and live in outwardly appearing world of rainbows and sunshine. Others are lucky if they have one parent and it seems as if the environment they are in gives them no hope.

Finally, many of us grow up in between these two scenarios.  A home with two hardworking parents doing the best they can to provide a loving and supportive situation. 

Oftentimes unknowingly,  this environment creates issues unbeknownst to anyone at the time. Maybe theres violence,  physical, mental, or emotional that gets ignored or noted as part of life.

Most of the time, the adults are doing the best they can and are simply a product of their upbringing.  

Regarding of the reason, that early childhood foundation sets the tone for adulting and parenting for the youth that turns into an adult.

To change the thread of culture, its important to be cognizant of what positive and not-so positive experiences that occurred. It's also needed to have a plan of what you hope to provide and to be aware of what went well and what may need to be adapted to produce a different result. 

Theres no guidebook to what will work and what will not. At the end of the day, each situation typically has at least one parent doing their best.

If the mold was less than desirable for you and that is not what you want for your own children,  it's key to set the tone and aim for a desired result.

A bullseye shot may not always be obtained but the results will be in the realm of what is hoped for with the proper attention and effort.

In the end, dont sulk, blame others or feel that things are out of your control. Be grateful for your happiness and experiences. Know that your parents did the best they could with the resources they had and know you can control the same outcome by focusing on the process to achieve alterations in the outcome when you are in the adult role of a parental relationship. 

Stay cool

It's hot outside and the heat isnt anything to play with. Many of us grew up as kids spending time outdoors and not even knowing what the temperature was.

Most of us were fine, we might have got tired, got sunburn or wore out but it wasn't a big deal. Oblivious to the notion of hydration,  we stayed that way drinking gallons of water.

Those days arent typical anymore so awareness is key. The heat is part of life so we, especially the young and the elderly, have to make sure we are prepared to keep our bodies healthy in these conditions. 

Think about others and help them be prepared and know the simple rules of self preservation to avoid having an untimely illness or trip to the hospital that could have been avoided.

Enjoy the summer days with friends, family, or however you see fit!

Be controlled or be in control

Breaking streaks isn't easy.  It takes work, it takes effort, it takes doing something different than the norm.

I think many of us get used to certain things and we let that control us. Our moods, emotions, and actions are dictated because we allow what we have gotten used to accepting to take us over.

Whether it's an addiction, your diet and exercise, regime, your sleep pattern or your desire to steer the wheel with your family or push the accelerator on your career, the only way we can do something different is to be in control.

Many of us want,  say we will, or are envious of others but most of us won't do anything different to achieve those longing desires.

It's not easy, nothing worth wanting is. But I believe we have to have faith first,  a direction of what you want to happen and a good support group.

Things won't always happen as we expect them but keeping that faith, that desire to meet your goal and having others to help pick you up when you fall makes the struggle a little easier.

At the end of the day, no matter if your trying to win the World Series for the first time in a century, overcome an alcohol or drug addiction, break out of a lifestyle pattern that you became used to from generations before you or anything else that you are confronted with, you have to make an effort.

Step by step, day by day. Have faith, be prepared,  and know there will be failure. Learn from that failure and stay in control.