The beginning of spring sports practices have given these kids an opportunity to not only build on what they did in previous seasons, but for those who lost a season to Covid, also hit a reset button and start again. The Covid pandemic has impacted us all in a myriad of ways.

Parents have had to make adjustments to our daily lives to accommodate for child care, working from home and social distancing. The things we already juggled were suddenly lit on fire and we were asked to stand on a giant beach ball without dropping anything.

Our kids have made a tremendous amount of adjustments through distance learning, decreased time with friends and major adjustments to activities.

While mandates have eased and vaccine availability has made activities more accessible for students to participate, that reset button is more than likely welcome for all of them to potentially gain what they may have lost during that time. Camaraderie with teammates, the excitement of competition and the daily routine of being a part of something bigger are just a few things returned.

In speaking with coaches earlier this week, the excitement of having those students back to work for a new season of athletics was almost beyond words. Hopes are high for performances and for some, it will be the first taste of competition at this level they will see.

It’s easy to get caught up in the grind of daily life. Days morph into weeks and suddenly the calendar page is a month later and we don’t know where the time went. Our calendars are full of homework deadlines and golf meets and work meetings and community events and before we know it we are staring down the reality that graduation is right around the corner.

We tell ourselves that we need to take a moment, but do we really? As the athletes get out and start stretching their legs for the impending seasons in front of them, we all have a moment to do just that. By hitting that refresh button, the kids are attacking the competitions in front of them with refreshed focus and a new perspective.

That new perspective is something that we can all take into the spring. Reconnect with people we lost touch with, mend a relationship that was fractured, carve out that family time for the trip you’ve put on hold for months and seize the spring with new zest and tackle that project.

I know it’s easier said than done. Participating in activities beyond school is an active decision our students make - a commitment to molding themselves for something bigger. And in most cases, they do so without a lot of jabbing from those around them. There’s nothing that says we can’t do the same.

So really, it’s not just that little circle arrow at the top of my computer screen that reminds me that I’ve got that same chance.