DiGIOVANNI: It’s OK to be upset about the end of high school sports, even if it’s not life and death

The news hit Thursday with a force that may have surprised many sports fans around Pennsylvania.

Given that it wasn’t really much of a surprise didn’t seem to soften the blow.

After Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf shut down state schools for the rest of the academic year, the PIAA was left with no choice but to officially scrap the two winter sports that were left unfinished — basketball and swimming — while also canceling the entire spring sports season.

Of course, it was likely the right call as far as safety goes. And in the grand scheme of the coronavirus pandemic, a void of high school sports ranks pretty low on the totem pole of importance.

But that doesn’t make it hurt any less, especially for people like Tom Durant, the coach of a West Chester East boys basketball team that was nearing the end of the greatest season in program history.

The Vikings were two wins away from a trip to Hershey and a berth in the state championship game.

“The news really hit me hard,” Durant said. “I really feel awful for the kids, the players, the fans and the seniors. I loved that we had a little hope before today, especially since we were hearing glimmers of good news about the number of cases of COVID-19 plateauing and potentially on the decline. Plus, we thought that the Pennsylvania government was not making a decision until April 30 on school cancellation.

The Vikings were slated to play Unionville in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals on Friday, March 13, before the championships were put on hold.

“I know I speak for many that we really wanted to keep this accomplished basketball season going,” Durant said. “A state title was on our list of goals for this season. Making it to the elite Eight is an unbelievable accomplishment, but we wanted more. I feel really bad for all the seniors losing the chance to play in the upcoming games, they cannot get this back. Plus, no senior proms, no senior awards, no senior graduation, no senior spring events and no senior week. A lot of memories lost.”

In a time when everything is shocking and surreal, Durant and everyone I’ve spoken to is quick to count their blessings, especially since missing out on sports pales in comparison to those who are sick or dying, or working on the front lines of this fight.

Bishop Shanahan baseball coach Brian Boyko talked about the ending of his season before it even started. The Eagles advanced to the PIAA playoffs for the first time in 26 years last season and had high hopes for the 2020 season.

“With people dying it is the correct thing to do,” Boyko said. “However, my heart goes out to the seniors as they didn’t get to enjoy and experience their last games.

“A lot of these seniors were born around 9/11,” Boyko said. “They went through swine flu and now COVID-19. This can’t be easy on the seniors. We always talk to our teams about adversity and how you deal with it.”

While Durant was disappointed in missing the end of the state basketball tournament, he can’t imagine what spring sports athletes and coaches must be feeling.

“From a basketball perspective, we were able to at least get our league play, Ches-Mont tournament, District 1 tournament and a little bit of the state tournament in,” Durant said. “I feel really bad for the spring sports seasons being cancelled. Think about all the offseason time and preparation players and coaches put in prior to their actual season. I would really be upset if we did not get to experience all the ‘wow’ moments and memories of this special season, that is something the spring sports seasons won’t experience.”

For spring sports coaches like Boyko, the goal now is to start preparing for a season that is more than 300 days away.

“This group has had several bouts of adversity and the way they have handled it is really remarkable. So my hat is off to the seniors,” Boyko said. “Again, it is a game. With real life happening all around us it is hard to complain about not being able to play.”

It’s OK to be sad about a season that never happened, or a title shot that will never come.

“Oh it’s just sports,” people will say.

Of course it’s “just sports,” I think everyone gets that.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t be upset about missing the crack of a bat, the sound of the crowd, or a senior who will never play organized sports again.

The right decision was made.

That doesn’t make it hurt any less.

Peter DiGiovanni covers high school sports for the Daily Local News. Follow him on Twitter @PeteDLN.