Well, this seat on the end of the bench is dusty.
It's been nearly 10 years since my last post on this blog (and to show you how long it's been, when I typed the word "blog", my computer autocorrected it to "big") and I'm not really sure what drove me back here, other than the fact that an outlet for writing was needed.
My last post was just before I took a job as the Athletic Director for the Arkadelphia Public School District in the late summer of 2011. The first few months (well, maybe years) I didn't really have much time to spend posting my thoughts or stories on a blog.
After things slowed down there were probably thoughts inside my head that I didn't NEED to post on a blog. Then after I got past a few years later and got into somewhat of a rhythm in the role I didn't want to post information on a blog because I knew that no matter how much of a people-pleaser that I wanted to be, there would be people who would disagree with anything I put on a blog.
But here we are, nearly 10 years later. My wife and I now have three children and because of the situation that the world finds itself in regarding COVID-19, we've been together....a lot. And it looks like we'll continue to be together....a lot more.
I don't know how frequent I'll post and I don't really know if anybody will see this, because as of right now, I don't plan on posting it on social media. If you see it linked in a share from one of my pages, then I guess I changed my mind. Either that or my mom still thinks that anything I write is really good and she made me do it. Just kidding. About the making me post part. She has social media now and she might share it if she finds it.
So here we are. COVID-19. I don't know how much longer we'll be strongly encouraged to stay in our homes, but if it's a long time, then I'll probably post a little more frequently.
The name of this blog was titled "The End of the Bench" because it was a column I used to write for our local newspaper. The name came from my career as a high school basketball player -- it's where I spent most of my time.
I used to get frustrated when I was in high school because I didn't get to play as much as I wanted to. I didn't like being on the end of the bench.
As I write this on March 22, 2020, there are virtually no live sports being played due to the entire country (well, most of it - that's another column for another blog) shutting down and trying to keep as many people from contracting COVID-19 as possible.
There are no games being played.
I think of my senior year of high school in 1995 and how I really didn't want to be sitting on the end of the bench on my team.
Nobody is sitting at the end of any bench right now. I think of the class of 2020 and how all across the country there are seniors who should be playing their first conference baseball or softball games tomorrow night.
It's been almost 10 years since my last post and the seat was dusty when I came back. I know it won't be 10 years before games will start back up, but it may be too late for seniors if COVID-19 keeps us out of our normal routines for much longer.
How they would love to get to wipe off a seat that's gotten dusty over the last couple of weeks and have a chance to get back in the game.
They'd even love to just have a chance to sit on the end of the bench.
