Celebrating something special

SULPHUR -- Sports are a special thing.
It breeds a sense of competition and teamwork in our young people. At the same time, it provides incredible entertainment for people all around the world.
Since March 2020, that entertainment aspect has had to be observed from a distance.
If you were watching sports, our state and federal governments preferred you did so from home. If -- and that’s a big if -- you were watching live, you certainly could.
However, you were expected to do so from a distance. A social distance, if you will. Watch your live sports, but do so six-feet apart and with a mask on your face.
There is no disputing on my end whether social distancing and mask protocols worked. I followed protocols for the better part of a year and it was effective in preventing me and my family from contracting COVID-19. In addition, my wife and I chose to receive Moderna vaccines so we could once again feel a sense or normalcy and proceed with our lives once again.
So, this is by no means an anti-protocols column.
What this column is, though, is a celebration of where we currently are.
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of covering the first state championship event in Louisiana high school sports since Gov. John Bel Edwards lifted the statewide mask mandate.
The state softball tournament, as a result, felt like an event. A real-life big deal.
It was truly special to see fans walk through the turnstiles in droves, cheer on their favorite school, sit together and shed masks.
Many people treat cheering on their favorite colors with a religious zeal.
If that’s how it feels, then last weekend in Sulphur was the equivalent of Holy Communion.
From my perspective, it felt right to finally feel the roar of a crowd. An actual roar.
To smell concession stand food. To feel fully comfortable conversing with my colleagues. To hear the groans after a just-barely-foul potential home run.
Personally, it was a reminder of all the things we took for granted before a pandemic occurred.
As a sports fan and media member, hearing fans complain about a bad call was something that annoyed me before things changed.
Saturday afternoon, it was a welcome reminder that we may finally be getting back to a familiar place.
With everyone’s continued selflessness, we can continue to enjoy this slice of life that was so sorely missed.
Live sports are wonderful, and my genuine prayer is that we can continue to fully enjoy them as they were.
Saturday in Sulphur worked as a reminder to me that the temporary sacrifices will make it all worth it in the end.