In a few hours, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will announce his decision as it relates to fall contact sports.
Will sports like football and soccer be allowed to play? What modifications, if any, will coaches and players endure just to have a season? Will there be fans?
The forthcoming decision, whether for, against, or somewhere in between, will have ramifications for prep athletics throughout the rest of this school year.
Football may be the headline grabber, but winter sports like basketball and wrestling could be affected to.
There are a number of important questions that need answering.
Are We Safe? Yes? Let’s Play
But while adults debate and vent their frustration at the prospects of fans/no fans, masks/no masks, you know who isn’t concerned with such trivial matters?
The players. And why is that? Because the players understand the profound impact athletics have on their lives. From the all-state running back who secures his full ride to Ohio State to the sophomore back-up point-guard learning about teamwork and the importance of working to improve, sports are more than just a game.
Many of these young men and women have been involved in competitive athletics for more than a decade. It’s a major part of their lives, and to have it potentially taken away is devastating.
Players are willing to jump through innumerable hoops just to get on the field or the court.
Look at what’s transpired this summer. Football teams started summer workouts in pods of 10 or less, staggering workout times throughout the day.
Travel softball, baseball and basketball teams socially distanced in the dugouts or courtside benches, wore masks when not actively playing and took every precaution necessary to play.
Higher level AAU teams travel by design, but even those teams made lengthier trips than normal, finding competition in neighboring states with fewer restrictions.
When regulations in states like Ohio and West Virginia canceled or postponed tournaments, teams looked elsewhere like Indiana, Pennsylvania and even further south to find competition.
In Their Own Voices
In a slight change-up from our normal LedeNews.com Q&A format, we talked with one such higher-level AAU team, the Ohio Valley Lady Dragons based out of Belpre.
Their coaching staff routinely has their players write a few paragraphs about what basketball and playing means to them on a personal level. These answers are generally shared with perspective college coaches.
But they illustrate how basketball specifically, and sports in general, can have a profound impact on the life of a young athlete.
Some of these girls attend schools within the OVAC footprint. Some do not. But where they live isn’t important.
It’s not often a high school athlete will pull back the curtain and open up, speaking to how they truly feel.
So, if you want to know just how sports affect these young ladies, have a read.
Skylar Bosley
I started playing basketball in 4th grade. The coach noticed me running outside and asked me to play, so I gave it a shot. After the first game he asked, “Would you be ok with playing a whole game?” and of course I said yes. My job was to get the ball. I wasn’t afraid of anyone. I just wanted to do my job and get the ball. I couldn’t get enough. I practiced every single day and asked my parents to put me in lessons. I watched YouTube and tried to do everything I watched. Basketball became a part of who I was. No matter what, on the court with a basketball in my hands brings me peace. My sixth-grade year one of my local middle schools tried to have me disqualified. They wanted me at their school and tried to argue I was transferred out of district and should not be allowed to play. I had never experienced a pain like that. Not knowing if I would be allowed to play broke my heart and hearing a judge overturn the WVSSAC’s decision made me the happiest girl on earth.
Basketball isn’t just a game. It is who I am. I am clumsy, and I am shy, but when I hit the court it’s like I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I am in my element. I am not clumsy, I am on a mission, and I am fearless. To top it all off, my little sister is always right there cheering me on. My parents too, but my little sister is my biggest motivator and my good luck charm. Because of her I know that my talent can help me pursue an education in the medical field and then a career of helping children like her. I am just as competitive with my grades as I am on the court. I study hard and work hard and never accept less than my best
Morgan Altenberger
I have been playing basketball since the 3rd grade. I was playing for a few years, and then I realized in the 5th that I actually really liked playing so if I wanted to be really good, I would have to put in the time and work. Spring of my fifth-grade year, I joined a travel team called with a bunch of girls I had never talked to before. After the first practice, I cried a great number of times because I did not like the feeling of not knowing the other girls, and I didn’t feel like I was truly good enough. I made my mom find a trainer from Marietta College, and I started working out with him the days I didn’t have practice. I went to the gym all of the time to work on shooting. I knew I couldn’t expect to make shots in a game if I didn’t work on it on my own.
My whole basketball career I have been known as a “shooter.” It never truly bothered me until my sophomore year in high school that I felt like my whole game was overshadowed by just that, and I felt like I offered so much more to the team. I realized I had to do something else to make people realize that. I started emphasizing my rebounding and finally got noticed for something other than shooting. Summer going into my junior year, I worked the hardest I ever had. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to workout with my trainer at 6, and then I would go to our team lifting at 8. It definitely paid off, but going into school season, I still felt like this was going to be like every other season. It started off the best, but then I slowly got the impression that people felt I only cared about myself and how I was only happy if I scored a certain amount of points.
Character is a reflection of a person. Basketball cannot be a sport if there is not a team. Team is the most important aspect, and when people told me that’s what they thought about me, that made me extremely upset. I couldn’t believe they would think I was even that type of person and think that low of me. I have always had confidence issues, and joining the OV Dragons helped diminish a majority of those issues. I truly felt a part of a family. I have met some of my best friends because of making the decision to join, and I am so thankful every day because of it.
Millie Kehrer
I started basketball in second grade and have loved it since. I have two older brothers that both played basketball, which probably had something to do with why I started it in the first place. I wanted to be like them both, and that’s why I was so excited when I found out one of them would be my first coach! I was very determined to impress him, so I wanted to get better. He taught me many things that I know and helped shape my love for the game. As the years went on, I learned more and more and started to really become a basketball player. It became one of the most important aspects of my life. I have loved it ever since and it has taught me to be a leader and how to take responsibility. I am grateful for every experience I have gotten that came from it and for all the friendships that i have made. I honestly think that the relationships you form are the most important part of basketball.
I am thankful to have good, understanding coaches and teachers who help me keep my grades up. Playing a sport sometimes makes it hard to take care of your grades, but when you have good teachers and coaches, it really helps out. I think basketball will help me in the future when I go to college to pursue what I want to do because it taught me how to be a leader. I’ll forever be thankful for that.
Lauren Twyman
I’ve been playing since I was 5. I wanted to do it because my brothers were doing it too. I tried to do cheerleading at the same time, but I hated it because all I wanted to do was play basketball. I would be cheering for the boys, and I wondered why I was cheering for them when I could be out there playing against them. So, I would cheer, then have a game right after, and I remember racing to the stalls to change because I knew I just wanted to be in my basketball shoes. It all started from there, and it hasn’t stopped since. Basketball has been a wild ride since middle school. I’ve given up a lot just to play the game, but it doesn’t matter. If I love basketball, I could give up other things to play. I’ve had some great coaches who have taught me never to give up and to always have confidence. When I hit high school is when my confidence wasn’t as high as I wanted it to be. But I had a great support system to help me through it. Basketball has helped me through life. It’s helped me make friendships that last a lifetime and has taught me amazing lessons, and for that I love it.
Lacie Williams
I started playing basketball when I was in the third grade. I played in county leagues and in travel tournaments with friends from my school. My dad coached me from third grade until sixth grade. Ever since I was little, I have put in so many hours a week on the court or working out. Yes, it has been hard and tough at times, but I have loved every minute of it, and my love for it continues to grow. It has shaped me into the person I am today. It has made me so strong, mentally, and physically. I have learned so many lessons from basketball that have helped me in life.
I stress myself out a lot, I worry about my grades, and that’s why they are so good. I work so hard in basketball, and I work so hard in the classroom. When it comes to basketball, I just play. I am so nervous for warmups, but once that ball tips, I am okay. I block everything out and just focus on my teammates and coaches. I have been so lucky with great coaches and teammates who push me every day and believe in me. I live in a one red light county, and the fans are amazing. I have never seen so many people at a girls’ high school game. The environment is special. I love going into battle with my teammates because I know they have my back, and I have theirs. I have met so many amazing friends through travel ball and high school ball. I will forever cherish all the memories. Basketball has been a huge part of my life and I don’t want basketball to ever not be that.
Josie Montgomery
Being the youngest of five athletes, I was always on a bleacher from the day I was born. While I was too young to start playing on a 4-h team in our county, I was very upset and jealous. My jealousy got to the point where my mom had to custom order me my own personal jersey to wear at my siblings’ games. Even though I was young, all of their coaches let me have a basketball or run with them during practices. As I got older, my love for the game increased tremendously. You never saw me without a ball in my hand. I practiced whenever I could. I had coaches stay after to help me get better, I watched YouTube videos, and i then started going to private lessons. Basketball has always been a part of me and always will. My family is my biggest supporter and motivates me to be better. I play for my brother who passed away in 2017. He was my favorite coach and opponent. I push myself to be better not only for me but for my family.
Although being an athlete is important to me, being a student athlete is more important. Anything lower than an A is not good enough. I study and push myself to get good grades. When I graduate, going into the medical field will be a challenge, so that’s why I challenge myself to be the best I can be in school. My competitiveness isn’t just on the court; it’s everywhere in my life, and that’s what makes me do the best I can.
