Fall Back and Spring Ahead

Back in late spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown was just in it's infancy stage, I remember thinking to myself, "Damn, I feel bad for those spring sports kid losing an entire season. At least this thing (COVID-19) will be gone in time for football season."

Or not.

It's time IHSA Football to Fall Back and Spring Ahead.

Back a handful of weeks ago the reality hit me like a ton of bricks that the upcoming 2020 IHSA Football season would be pushed back at best case scenario would be to the Spring of 2021. Sadly, that hunch came to fruition on Wednesday when the IHSA announced that football will now be moved from the fall and to the spring.

Surprised? No.

How can really anyone consider playing football while school districts still can't get a handle on how the fall semester will look like or function? When the overall COVID-19 numbers statewide and nationally continue to rise? Again this won't become a political debate because I cover high school football. I generally leave all political debates and medical advice to the multitude of experts via social media to sort out.

Yet what really matter in all of this are the kids. Trust me, whenever I hear "it's all for the kids" it's usually is followed by someone trying to take money from you for various goods and services whenever you are involved with youth sports. Yet in this instance, it's truly about them.

IHSA football is made up of teenage young men and coaches/teachers/mentors from across the state, from all walks of life, different races, different backgrounds and they all play football for many of the same and different reasons.

For some, football is an escape. Football is a way towards maybe a better life, or maybe even getting a college education. Football for many is a way to just keeping interested and engaged with school. Football at times can help those troubled kids who for whatever reason have wavered off the right path. Football teaches discipline, it teaches teamwork and also provides structure, friendship and an outlet for kids to get out those bent up teenage rage frustrations, legally

We need football.

Now all of the positives and benefits from IHSA football gets suppressed for another 218 more days.

While we now have a compass from the IHSA, we are still way short of any sort of map to guide us.

We still have no concrete answers as of now regarding scheduling, any type of playoffs, when can practices resume? Any fall/winter team workouts?

Yet in due time things will come more into focus.

Recruiting?

I could literally feel a shift in the force on Wednesday at around 4PM or so when the IHSA announced it's decision to push football back in 218 more days. I could sense phone calls being made, inquiries being inquired and rental trucks being reserved for all points surrounding the Land of Lincoln. Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana (God no not Indiana!) Missouri and beyond will be potential landing spots for many of our state's finest players like it or not.

Wait, isn't that a bit dramatic?

If you asked that question, let me welcome you personally to high school and youth sports in the Year 2020.

Yes, parents will take those kids and will leave the state to play in the fall elsewhere and get some "tape." Others with scholarship offers already in hand will graduate after the fall semester and head off to college, leaving before playing a senior season. Others will "lose out" on a scholarship opportunity because we moved the football season to the spring.

We still have lots of questions on so many levels.

Yet now at least we still have a new season to prepare and plan for in 2020...I mean 2020 plus? 2021 Mach 1?

And after all of the drama...we will (hopefully) have football soon. Well...another 218 days or so. Maybe.

If we've learned anything from this weird COVID-19 world is that this virus won't go away easily or anytime soon. Plan for tomorrow, but be ready to change on the fly when required.

So what do we do now?

I'm not gonna lie, August 10th and August 28th will not be good days here. For the first time in 25 years I'll have an opening in my schedule in the fall on Friday nights. Can someone please tell me what people do on Friday nights in the fall without football? Please?

For now, I'll take my cue from so many of the coaches and players after the IHSA announcement on Wednesday night.

It's time to get back to work and get even better for the season.

PS: Wear a mask.