Well, here we go again with the start of another school year. And, I thought we were past all these protocols, masks, limited capacity issues, and the like. But, for some reason, COVID will just not leave well enough alone. Last year at this time, it was like walking on egg shells trying to maneuver around protocols and the like just to be able to play our favorite game. As last year progressed, it seemed as though districts were becoming well-versed in how to deal with positive testing students, outbreaks, and the like. When we entered the summer, it was assumed that this year would start relatively normal, if there is such a thing anymore. Then, something called the “Delta” variant hit us and has laid waste to our hopes of being somewhat normal. This Friday our local teams of Long Beach, Pass Christian, Saint Stanislaus, and West Harrison take to the gridiron to open their season. It is not unlike the other cutouts on street corners all across our beautiful state in places like Booneville, Pelahatchie, Kosciusko, and Lake Cormorant. These gathering places that many around
the state flock to on Friday nights with family and friends to relish good times and cheer on their favorite teams is in threat again of being limited or closed due to COVID’s mutated “Delta”. Is this the new normal? If it is then communities whose individual culture is interwoven with gathering at the local stadium to support family and friends as they play is in dire threat for a complete makeover. It could be that teams play in front of empty stadiums like what happened with the recent Tokyo Olympics. If so, West Harrison’s Keonte Smith and Melvin Pickens won’t be toting the mail in front of close family and the student body. Or, Pass Christian’s Kam White and Xavian Chamberlain won’t be able display their athleticism at a packed McDonald Stadium. Perhaps at Long Beach nobody will see Charles Starita unleash a pass caught by Jaylen Keys at Lance Lumpkin Stadium. And, finally at Saint Stanislaus it might be quiet at the Brother Philip Memorial Athletic Complex when Alex Fabra finds Ja’Kobe Cameron for a deep ball in the endzone.
I, for one, love this time of year. It is when I am in my zone. There is nothing like stepping out on the gridiron under the lights on a Friday night to watch the purest game still around - high school football. For the last 29 seasons, I have stalked, stomped and paraded around gridirons all over the Southeastern region. In fact, August 27 will mark my 347th consecutive ‘Friday Night Under the Lights’. I don’t know what the answer is to this COVID crisis but I do know that this is not the first time that mankind has had to endure a pandemic such as this - either natural or man-made. Herd immunity has strengthened mankind’s defense against viral foes such as this and it will again. But, how much of our culture and routine will be forever altered and changed because of it? I don’t know the answer to that either. And, I don’t have “MD” behind my name so it is not my place to give any instruction on how to handle this. I just hope that I am able to add to my running total of consecutive Friday nights under lights because it is my home. Well, in fact, it is my church because that is where I worship most intently. See you at the game!