It is a time to reminisce about all of the good times we had on trips with the AAU team and the fun that the boys had just being kids.
It is a time to remember all of the coaches and volunteers who worked so hard over the years to not only teach the game of basketball, but to teach our children how to be good people.
It is a time to celebrate what these young men and women have accomplished and even more so, who they have become and what they have to look forward to in the future.
While I am extremely proud of the athletic accomplishments of some of our area seniors - regional and district titles, all-area teams, 1,000 point club, et cetera - in the scheme of things those accomplishments are not what we should be most proud of. We should be proud of the people they have become.
High school sports teach many lessons
I think most parents would agree that high school sports have had a major influence on the person that their child is now. The game has taught them responsibility, teamwork, dedication and perseverance.
These young men and women have put countless hours into practices, traveling to and from games, fundraisers, and playing games two and three nights a week. They did that while balancing academics and for some, jobs.
In today's society, that is a rarity among teenagers, and they should be commended for a job well done.
High school sports have played such an important role in our lives over the last 10 years that it is hard to imagine what it will be like now that it is coming to an end. What will it be like to not be in a gym almost every night? What will I do with all of this free time now?
Maybe I will take up a hobby. Maybe I will start cooking at home instead of eating fast food all of the time. Well, let's not get crazy - that probably won't happen.
Fortunately, I don't have long to ponder on these questions because the cycle will start all over again in about two years. I'd better get busy enjoying my free time!
On the Web
Haley Ralston, the assistant principal at Stanford Elementary and wife of Lincoln County athletics director Steve Ralston, will have video interviews at www.amnews.com later this week from the 45th District Tournament girls and boys championship games at Lincoln.
