I'm ready for fall

If you are anything like me, maybe I should rephrase that. If you are a football fan like me that enjoys the fall because of football then hopefully we can resume a happy lifestyle by watching high school athletes play the game.

Yes, this coming Saturday there will be the high school football jamboree at Jimmie Snider Field at 1:00. Out Lind-Ritzville-Sprague-Washtucna Broncos will again be the host. And football is going to be played at the traditional time of year with a full slate of games scheduled.

I haven’t had the chance to see the local team practice yet and maybe my first glimpse will be from the sideline on Saturday. I do know most of these kids and I hope they have great success. It has been a long bizarre road that has been traveled since March 16, 2020.

At this point in time it looks like the outdoor sports can be played without a mask and the coaches and fans can watch outdoor activity without a mask. Volleyball players that are playing don’t need to wear a mask until they are on the bench. Coaches and fans for indoor sports will need to be masked up vaccinated or not.

Playing with a mask attached to your face is not an ideal situation. Athletes need to breathe because they are working their lungs hard and need a lot of oxygen without restrictions. For football players wearing a mask and having a mouthpiece in place was not an easy task at all.

I know for sure that what these kids have been through for the last year and a half has not been easy. Memorable, sure, but not easy. They haven’t been able to use their lockers; need to wear a mask; social distance and have had extended class periods. Some students have opted for remote learning while others have tried the home schooling option. I have to commend the students as well as the teachers and administrators for doing their best in making things work best and making changes as needed along the way.

It has been two years since we played football in the fall and it has been missed. I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s Bronco team play and see how much they have grown throughout this reset because of the pandemic. As fans most of you probably didn’t get a chance to see the team play live this past spring. Now is your chance to see live action again. The first scheduled home game for the Broncos will be Friday night, September 3rd against Liberty.

Cougar fans should be chomping at the bit to see this year’s team play again. They did play last fall without fans and had a few games cancelled because of C-19. They did get to practice in the spring which had to have been a big help. I wish them great success this season.

The EWU Eagles played in the spring with a modified schedule. They made it to the first round of the FCS playoffs losing to perennial playoff power North Dakota State. But the experience that the Eagles garnered was far better than if they only had spring practice. The Eagles return some solid talent and will be competing for another Big Sky championship and playoff spot. And what maybe the most exciting part of the whole thing is that fans will once again get to attend the games at Roos Field. The 10 year old red turf was replaced in 2020 with a new red turf so I’m hoping for more home field advantage.

It is also going to be great to see old friends that I’ve met throughout the years. Eagle fans are fun. We make a lot of noise in a small stadium.

If you are tired of being cooped up and want to get out and celebrate I suggest going to a football game and let loose at Jimmie Snider Field, Gesa Stadium in Pullman, or Roos Field in Cheney or take in a Whitworth Pirate game. We need to get out and make our presence felt.

If football isn’t your game support the volleyball teams. Sure you will need to wear a mask indoors but these girls work hard too and could use local fan support.

I don’t know about you but I’m ready.