I remember the afternoon when the world stopped due to the Covid-19 virus.
That afternoon was spent covering a baseball game at Escambia Academy, and, like everyone else, I was excited to see the kids, especially the senior players in action for their last baseball season.
Anticipation of who would make the playoffs was killing me, just as it was most everyone.
Then, with the drop of a hat, the world paused.
Schools shut down, and all sports ceased within two short days. All of a sudden, my job of covering high school sports was on pause. I was lost, to say the least.
Here at Atmore News, we are a family, and I am trusted with the responsibility of bringing the community the latest sports news.
In the course of one day my schedule went from being jam packed with sporting events, to being basically non-existent.
Outside of my regular duties here at Atmore News, I am a historian. I spend almost every ounce of my free time conducting research, aiding with documentaries and searching for remnants of the past.
In everything that I have studied, no event has ever come close to this one. The economic, mental and physical impact that this virus has created may never be matched again.
High school seniors had their last days of memories ripped from their fingers. Some paid a huge price in the form of lost scholarship opportunities.
Grocery stores were swamped, and small businesses have been forced to shut their doors, some for the final time.
Now, after almost three months of enduring this uncertain future, things have started to return to some kind of normalcy. Hand sanitizer and facemasks are now just a part of everyday life and fashion, within and without sports.
While sporting events have yet to resume, many local teams have been cleared for preparation and planning to return to the field. Local high schools have finally been okayed to resume summer football training camps, and youth baseball has been given a green light to resume actions under special guideline requirements.
Crowds will be limited in the number of fans, players will have to remain apart, masks and face-coverings will be worn when it is applicable, and a top-notch level of personal sanitation security will be taken.
With quarantine levels being downgraded, it is going to be interesting to see which events will continue and which will be cancelled.
Poarch Band of Creek Indians has decided to cancel all sporting events and tournaments until further notice due to the pandemic.
Many local youth baseball teams and leagues have also decided not to hold their planned seasons. With so many questions and fears, I wonder how many parents will allow their children to participate in sporting events that will continue.
These are truly weird times, but it will be an interesting transition back to normal.