I keep a very busy schedule in the spring and summer and much of that is attributed to being the mom of an athlete. With the spread of Covid-19 and the cancellation of sports, life has taken a drastic turn for us. While we’ve tried to remain hopeful, it seems the idea of finishing our final season has come to an end. I’ve noticed that many people become annoyed hearing parents talk about their kids “being in the middle of a season” during this time. And many people find us selfish in wanting our kids to finish the season. But the reality of it is, this is bigger than sports.

Many of us have kids that are seniors and have missed the last opportunity to fellowship with teammates. Some will never get a chance to say their final “farewell” and “thank you” to many of the coaches that have helped us nurture our kids and support them on their high school journey. Some of these athletes serve as mentors and provide guidance to their teammates as it relates to the recruiting process. And some will miss the opportunity to seek financial assistance to obtain higher education by way of athletic scholarships.

While many people don’t understand the world of sports, the reality is the combination of an academically and athletically sound student is a recipe for college acceptance and financial awards. Many of the parents I know are willing to pay for their students to attend college, but these student-athletes feel fulfilled, gratified and proud of their accomplishments which have resulted in scholarship opportunities. While our top priority is the safety of our kids and our families, we just wanted a chance to take one more picture, smile one more time at their success and have the chance to support them in seeing this journey to the end. We wanted a last chance to say, “You’ve carried out this journey to the end. You gave your best. You have closed this chapter. Job, well done!”