Summer is in full swing now, and that brings all kinds of good things to do with family, friends, and others, and to enjoy the outdoors. Although, we have had our share of rain, still there has been plenty of time for us to get out and enjoy the summer sunshine. Hard to believe, but old man winter is closer than I want to think about, but now…..it’s summertime and lots to do.
One of the things I remember as a young man was summer meant good times, and inevitably preparing for school sports. A lot of our county athletes are playing baseball, tennis, golf, running and working out, getting ready for that competition in school in a little over a month now. Every summer for as long as I can remember Greenville Baseball has had games and tournaments, and if you head down to Sater Street, you can catch a game almost every night. You can catch every level of game from tee-ballers to high school boys and girls playing this time of year.
Visit your nearest golf course, and you will see young golfers out practicing for school matches that will be starting here shortly. I have seen some playing tennis, and of course you can always catch some young athlete getting ready for football or whatever running through the park. It seems impossible, but High Schools are having their 7-on-7 football passing sessions going on now. It won’t be but barely over a month and school will be starting here in Darke County, and of course that means football, but that is not the only sport our athletes in the County are preparing for.
Besides football, there is Boys and girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer, and don’t forget Cheerleading. Right now, when most are having fun at the pools or hanging out with friends, the athletes in these sports are working to get better in their chosen sport.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to work out in the summer heat and humidity, but work out they must if they want to get as good as they can be. When I was just a pup, I remember getting ready for football every summer; running, lifting, sprints up and down the steps at the stadium, and all that……you know, stuff that would kill me now!
Right now, I encourage people to go out and watch the baseball games, and golf games, and every other sport you will see our young folks working for. They deserve our support and encouragement. I believe wholeheartedly that Sports is a great teacher and preparer for life. Playing the sport of your choice is fun, just ask the athletes who do it…..but the preparation is hard, and the harder you work now, the easier it will be when the competition starts.
One thing I always kept in mind was if I wasn’t working hard now, somebody on the other team was, and I was going to get embarrassed if I wasn’t ready to go before hand. I know how hard it is, and I commend those athletes who I see running and working out so they will be ready to represent their school this fall.
Give them all a lot of credit, and remember to support them this summer and all through the school year. Student/Athlete is not just a name, it is a commitment to be your best and challenge yourself to be a leader.
Luckily, we have good kids in our schools, and those that are athletes will turn out to be the leaders of the future…..and we will be lucky to have that kind of quality individual who put in the extra work to make themselves better! We will be in good hands! That’s the way I see it…..from the sidelines.
