In-school sporting events create some of the most electric atmospheres

Not that I could reach Mariah Carey's high-pitched voice even without my recent sinus congestion, but I'll do my best imitation — "It's tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!" With Thanksgiving behind us, the winter holidays now get our undivided attention. And with it, our annual Christmas wish list. Mine isn't very long. I try to keep things simple, often just telling my family I want "cold, hard cash." Yes, I've literally gotten that wish before. More than once, I've woken up Christmas morning to have my family direct me to the freezer, where I pulled out a jug filled with $1 bills … frozen inside a block of ice. I guess they had to make me work for the cash somehow. But here's another item on my Christmas wish list, although it goes far beyond the winter season — more in-school sporting events. A few local schools have done this already. But personally, I think every school should designate at least one home basketball game to play during the school day. Bonus points if it's a conference game. Of course, to do a full varsity doubleheader in front of the student body, the first game should naturally start around 11:30 a.m. or noon — allowing time for the games to finish before afternoon dismissal. Not only would it give the students an opportunity to socialize and watch their peers take on a rival school. But for some, it might be the only basketball game they attend all year. Could seeing the game up close and personal inspire them to attend more games, or perhaps give the sport a try themselves? You never know. But you have to imagine the odds are better. Like Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." And let's not limit it to basketball. Wrestling matches, volleyball matches, soccer matches, baseball games, softball games, you name it. Admittedly, I've yet to cover a high school football game that happened during the school day. It's certainly possible, but probably not feasible. Plus, there aren't many atmospheres like Friday night in the fall, so probably best to leave that alone. But at a previous newspaper where I worked, the local middle school football teams made a yearly habit of playing their rivalry games at noon, while busing their student bodies to the high school stadium. From what I observed, the players loved it. It was the one time of year they played in front of a crowd that size. And just a few months later, those same schools faced each other in basketball during the school day at the local college arena. The day doubled as an educational experience with students touring the campus prior to the basketball game — a win-win for both academics and athletics. From a school spirit standpoint, the benefits are obvious. Not to mention the chance for students to experience something different. The point is this — expose the student body to an athletic event they might not otherwise see. You never know the impact it might have. My decade-long career in the sportswriting industry has certainly exposed me to sporting events I hadn't previously observed, and I'm grateful to make up for lost time. But why wait until adulthood? Let the kids be kids and enjoy a game or two during the school day. Having their peers in attendance means more to the players, coaches and families than you think. Make it happen. J.D. Vaughn is the sports editor for the Johnson City Press and Kingsport Times News. He can be reached at jvaughn@sixriversmedia.com.