By Lee Davis
Journal Sports Writer
There are always plenty of reasons to criticize the actions of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Very similarly to the NCAA in college sports, the AHSAA often justifiably gets rapped for being out of touch with what is going on in the real world of amateur athletics.
But in the wake of the deadly system of tornados that devastated Alabama and took hundreds of lives on April 27, the AHSAA’s decision to push back its post-season events to the next week was absolutely the right call.
The sheer logistics of putting together athletic events, while literally hundreds of thousands of Alabamians were without power, water or even food or shelter, was simply too much of a burden on an infrastructure already tested past limits that would have seemed beyond our comprehension just a few days earlier.
Moving the events back into this week helps to give us a much-needed return to some sense of normalcy and routine – and at the same time gives us a reality check as to what is really important.
The competition coming from sports and the “battles” for championships in general are a lot of fun, and I believe they do teach life lessons that you don’t get many other places these days. At the same time, I don’t know what could prepare anybody for the horrors that we are seeing – or experiencing – on a daily basis since Mother Nature reared her ugly head last week.
On the other hand, we are seeing some of the basic lessons of sports. The importance of teamwork, unselfishness and putting needs of the group over the desires of the individual come into play countless times as Alabamians roll up their collective sleeves to help neighbors and strangers in desperate need.
In this environment, there are no rivalries between Alabama and Auburn, or for that matter between Hoover and Vestavia Hills. There are just people working together in a spirit of love and cooperation that is bigger than all of us.
That’s one of the bittersweet ironies of a catastrophe of the magnitude that hit Alabama last week: The worst of nature usually brings out the best in human beings.
For every disgusting story about looters, gawkers or people trying to take unfair advantage of the situation, there are thousands of inspiring and heartwarming tales of people working tirelessly to clear streets with chainsaws, or to collect and distribute essential items for fellow citizens they have never met.
The silver lining of the very dark cloud – definitely no pun intended – that has hung over our state since last Wednesday is the way that people have come together – like Alabamians and Americans always do – in a time of severe crisis.
In the days and weeks ahead, we will hear even more stories about how high school-age youngsters in our community – athletes and non-athletes alike – have worked to help those who are less fortunate. In the next few weeks, when we crown state champions in baseball, softball, soccer, track and field and other spring sports, let’s remember that the real champions are the folks of all ages who pitched in and gave of themselves in an unprecedented period in our state’s history.
They won’t get a blue trophy, but they’ll get a greater sense of satisfaction than any athletic champion ever did.
