IT’S been an extraordinary week on all fronts.
Sporting events across the region have been cancelled in mass as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are felt.
In difficult times it calls for strong leadership and tough decisions.
Sporting codes across the country have made those calls – the right call – they’ve put the interest of their members and community first, as they had to, but still there is a minority of people out there who have taken to social media to criticise them.
Amazing really to think anyone would be so narrow-minded to think it is more important to play a game of sport, than people’s health and welfare.
On Tuesday afternoon the Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) announced it was postponing the Innes Medal count and cancelling all grand finals.
The SCA’s decision was quickly followed by the postponement of all football and netball in the region until the end of of May, a call made on the back of AFL Victoria’s recommendation all community competitions be put on hold.
Big V basketball led the way last Saturday, putting their season on hold as they did their bit to protect players, officials and supporters against the coronavirus.
Tough decisions, but we are in tough times.
Administrators and league officials have had no other option but to follow the direction of their governing bodies.
They have acted swiftly and decisively as we all head into uncharted territory.
Me, like everyone else, enjoys nothing more than a Saturday afternoon at the footy, but for the time being that isn’t going to be option.
We haven’t seen anything like this in our lifetime and who knows where it’s going to end.
Strong leadership, more than ever, is needed and luckily from a sporting perspective we have had it here in Sunraysia.
We should feel proud of how our club and league officials have responded and reacted to the situation.
They have stood united, supported each other and backed every call that has been made.
This is what strong leadership is about, it’s the very fabric of what binds community sport together.
We will get through this and we will play sport again, but at the moment a game of footy or netball is the last thing on people’s minds.
But when things do return to normal – and they will – we should always remember it’s still only a game.
