The adage, “Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it" wasn’t true last week as severe weather targeted Okaloosa County.
Local school officials couldn't change the storm's course, but they assured student-athletes, coaches and fans' safety. Around noon Feb. 23, a coach's text said the school board suspended all activities. The storm was well west of Okaloosa County — tornadoes associated with the storm system had touched down in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi — but officials weren’t taking chances.
That afternoon, I watched a mixture of partly cloudy skies and a mild rainy drizzle, but nothing to be worried about. I checked the weather radar and monitored the storm, but there were moments when I thought school officials acted too quickly.
By 6 p.m., when most local baseball and softball games were scheduled to start, it was obvious school officials made the right call. I can only imagine what would have happened if coaches, players and fans were forced to scramble out of the way of an oncoming twister.
Some of the canceled games will probably be made up in the weeks ahead. Other games, which aren’t district contests, might not be played if scheduling conflicts arise.
We all love to cheer on our favorite teams as they compete, but some things are beyond our control, and school officials made the right call, even if last week’s storms somehow missed the area.
The safety of those playing and attending games is always the most important thing.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DICKSON: School officials make right call on weather