The UIL responded to the recent COVID-19 National Emergency by suspending spring sports until at least May 4th.
The decision Isn’t shocking in the slightest. Sports leagues from all over the world ranging from amateur to professional have all either canceled their seasons, suspended them, or have marched on with limited personnel and fans.
The decision is a necessary one in order to contain the pandemic that is the coronavirus. The safety of everyone’s health is the most important thing at play here. Still, it sucks that most seniors are getting their final year taken away from them due to this virus.
“It’s been very tough. I am just doing my best to stay prepared for when the time comes.” Cam Brown said.
Cam Brown is a senior right-handed pitcher and utility player for the Flower Mound Jaguars.
Brown has had a successful baseball career as a Jaguar. As a junior, he went 11-1 with an ERA of 1.90 and added 118 strikeouts. To go with that he hit just above .360 with six home runs and 37 RBIs.
Brown parlayed that success to receive an invite to the 2019 Under Armour All-American game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. From there he committed to continue his baseball career at TCU and was looking forward to lighting it up again for his senior year.
However, life had a different plan as Brown is one of many seniors who are losing out on their last season at the High School level.
“Our team is very optimistic,” Brown said. “We are all doing our best to keep getting our work done safely to be able to stay in shape for when the season comes.”
With the numbers of confirmed cases rising and rising dramatically, it’s anyone’s guess if the season will resume in May, or be canceled altogether. Brown and his teammates remain optimistic that the season will resume on time and are keeping themselves in shape for when that day comes.
“I have been finding ways to stay in shape a lot of home workouts and throwing with my brother,” Brown said.
“The silver lining is this adversity will bring our team together and realize that nothing is promised,” Brown added. “We will play with the most intensity realizing that we shouldn’t take anything for granted.”
Flower Mound last season was one of the best teams in the state, making a run all the way to the 6A region finals where they ultimately lost to the eventual champions, Southlake Carroll.
2020, with the return of Brown, could’ve potentially been the Jaguars year. While it is still up in the air whether the season will continue or not there is a chance that this will be the end for these seniors.
If so, it’s a painful end for Brown, the Jaguars and a plethora of others around not only the state of Texas but the world.
“I have definitely learned to not take this game for granted because you never know when it will be taken from you,” Brown said.
For many players around the state of Texas, without knowing it they may have played their last inning of baseball in their careers. Luckily, for Brown, he has life as a Horned Frog to look forward too.
“At TCU I just want to be able to do anything to benefit the team. Whether it’s pitching on Friday nights or being the best teammate I can be,” Brown said.
Flower Mound won the Baseball state championship in 2014, ultimately we might never know if Cam Brown and the 2020 squad could’ve made it two. What we do know is that this is a difficult time for everyone. People from all walks of life are struggling each and every day.
The prospect of no sports is depressing. But, sports is just a minor cog in the machine that is life. People in this time of need must be taking care of one another. When adversity hits, Americans step up to the plate to make sure everyone is taken care of.
That’s what makes this country, and us as people, so great.
