MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle has been one of the more vocal professional athletes when it comes to the return of sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, though not the way many would think.
“Sports are like the reward of a functioning society,” Doolittle said in early July. “And we’re trying to just bring it back, even though we’ve taken none of the steps to flatten the curve, whatever you want to say. We did flatten the curve a little bit, but we didn’t use that time to do anything productive. We just opened back up for Memorial Day. We decided we’re done with it. If there aren’t sports, it’s going to be because people are not wearing masks, because the response to this has been so politicized. We need help from the general public.”
A key here is many are under the impression that sports are not an important aspect in our society. There have been many posts and articles written that there is no reason to bring back sports in the United States, because in the end, it is just a game, right?
That’s the simplistic way of looking at it, sure, but what many fail to realize is without sports, from all levels — youth leagues, high school, college, professional — sports is more than just a hobby to do two hours a day maybe two or three times a week.
There are thousands of people who make their livelihood through sports. Players, coaches, trainers, administrators, security, concession workers, parking attendants, and yes, reporters, rely on sports in more ways than one.
Doolittle’s point is right in most instances, but sports to many is far more than a “reward.”
While many professional sports leagues are slated to either begin or resume within the next few weeks, there is a low-laying dark cloud over whether those leagues will finish, and whether college and high school sports will even get going come late August and early September.
In this area, there is no doubt what college, especially football, and high school sports mean to the community and in West Virginia. With that, this is an imploration to all, do your part to try and get sports back.
WVSSAC executive director Bernie Dolan said it best during last Friday’s media briefing with Gov. Jim Justice: “I tell people, it’s up to the public to decide whether or not we are going to have athletics come this fall,” Dolan said. “Because you’re the one who will wear the masks. It sounds like it’s an easy thing to do for everybody to get on board. So, if you are the one who’s not socially distancing, not wearing a mask, you very well could be the one — you are setting an example for somebody not to follow and then that hurts all of our chances of participating.”
Wear a mask. Social distance when you’re able. Do your part. The quicker we can all come together, the sooner we can get sports back. Thousands are relying on it.
