I am not a weather wimp. And quite frankly, I don’t understand those that are.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to play golf during a thunderstorm or swim in the Gulf when a hurricane is churning off shore.
I even understand when schools and the school board make decisions to move or cancel games based on weather predictions.
Yes, it’s better to be safe than sorry when dealing with the welfare of our student-athletes.
That said, even though I grew up here in Northwest Florida, I think there are times when officials take action too soon or overreact.
Laurel Hill’s girls basketball team hosted Central last Thursday. The varsity game was scheduled for 6:45 p.m. When I arrived at 6:20, the parking lot was almost empty and there were only a few players from the boys basketball team shooting baskets.
Scott Varnum, the Laurel Hill girls coach, was still there and he told me the game had been moved to the afternoon for fear that the roads might become too hazardous for Central to make the return trip back to Santa Rosa County later that evening.
At the time of our conversation, the temperature in Laurel Hill was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit and the skies were as clear as one could hope for on a crisp January night.
And there weren’t any predictions that moisture would be moving into the area later in the evening.
In other words, it was a little chilly and nothing more. The basketball game was going to be played inside so players, coaches and fans wouldn’t be exposed to the cold weather.
Friday night, I was going to cover Crestview’s boys soccer match against Fort Walton Beach. The temperatures were slightly warmer, but still in the 30s. The game was scheduled for 7 p.m. and I arrived around 6:30 p.m. at Jack Foster Stadium.
I made sure I had the proper layering of clothes for the chilly night and went into the stadium — only to find out they started the game at 5:30 because of weather concerns.
And while I don’t think soccer should be a winter sport, I don’t understand moving a game up to try to avoid a few degrees of cold. Teams won’t have the option of moving games in a couple of weeks when district tournament play starts.
In the 20 or so years I’ve been writing sports I’ve dealt with all kinds of weather conditions.
I’ve covered football playoff games in Tennessee in late November or early December, when wind chills dipped below 0. I’ve been at games when the rain was so bad I had no hope of keeping game notes, as my pen and paper were soaked.
I’ve been at baseball and softball games in February that were colder than I prefer. I’ve also covered baseball and football games and track meets where the heat index was better than 100.
I’ve always been sure to prepare for the heat, cold or rain as best I can. The elements are a part of life when you are an athlete.
I will never question moving or canceling a game when coaches, players, fans and officials might be placed in danger, but common sense should always come into play when making such decisions.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Dealing with the weather