In our football report this week, the author comments that it was likely to be the last match for a while. We now know that that is indeed the case, with all sport banned for the duration of the lockdown.
One can understand this, perhaps, for contact and close proximity sports such as football or rugby, together with indoor sports and gyms, but it does give cause to wonder why some other outdoor sports are included. Golf for example – the one sport where it is possible to play alone and even when playing a foursome, social distancing is no problem. Tennis, too is another outdoor sport where players can keep well apart.
Sadly it is the younger generation who are going to be hardest hit by all this. No chance now to let of steam and get nice and muddy on football or rugger pitch, no more splashing about in the leisure centre swimming pool and, for the dozens of youngsters who turn up several times a week at the tennis club for the popular coaching sessions, no option now but to stare at computer screens while playing a ‘virtual’ version of the sport.
There are many downsides to lockdown (and the government has yet to demonstrate that it has carried out an assessment of these) and outside the obvious economic effects, the disruption to the physical and mental wellbeing of our children must come high on the list.
Sport is good for so many reasons: it provides much needed healthy exercise, it helps the young, in particular, to learn social skills and it promotes friendships and awareness of the needs of others. If children are to continue to be allowed to sit together in classrooms, it seems illogical that they should not be allowed to play together outside.
However, for the moment at least, pitches and golf courses will become the preserve of worms and other creatures, on tennis courts the rustle of autumn leaves will replace the thud of tennis balls, swimming pools will remain undisturbed and boatyards and sailing clubs eerily silent.
Sad times, indeed, roll on 2021.
Image Credits: John Minter , Nick Forman .