Glowing tribute

On a day when the 2020 spring sports season was officially canceled, schools all over Ohio paid tribute to high school seniors.

The lights at area football, baseball, softball, track and soccer stadiums were turned on Monday night to honor those seniors who lost the final portion of their school year due to the state shutting down buildings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The movement, called "Be the Light," has been done in other states.

"(The Western Buckeye League athletic directors) stay in contact and we heard about other conferences turning on their lights tonight," said Celina athletic director Jeff Fortkamp.

At 8:20 p.m. - which in military/24-hour time format appears as 2020 - lights at sports fields around the Grand Lake area were turned on for 20 minutes. People at home were encouraged to turn on their outside lights for the same duration in solidarity.

Although no one other than coaches or school personnel were permitted inside the stadiums and fields, the event turned into much more than just lights being turned on as crowds gathered near the facilities.

"We had about 20-30 show up to take pictures," said Fortkamp. "They did social distancing. Moms would take their pictures."

At Coldwater, athletic director Eric Goodwin played music starting at 8 p.m. as a town ambulance and fire truck led a parade around the town before stopping at Cavalier Stadium. Around Veterans Field, where the baseball team plays, cars parked outside the outfield fence, something that happens often during games.

"It worked out very well," said Goodwin. "It was pretty cool."

In Fort Recovery, the seniors did their own parade, driving around Barrenbrugge Athletic Park and then going to the other side of town where the Indians' baseball diamond is located.

"They just went around town," Fort Recovery athletic director Brent Niekamp said. "It was kind of like what they do on the last day of school."

In Celina, service vehicles were parked in the East Elementary across from Celina Stadium and turned on their lights.

"There had to be 30 of them," said Fortkamp. "They were out there with their flashers on. All of the cars that passed by were beeping (their horns) and the trucks beeped back."

On social media, pictures of lights being on and service vehicles with their flashers on at St. Henry, Minster, New Bremen, St. Marys and other area schools appeared, along with photos from other schools in the state. Eldora Speedway also turned on its lights to honor area seniors.

The tribute was a little bittersweet as Monday's announcement by Gov. Mike DeWine means that the spring sports season would officially be canceled.

"I feel so bad for (the kids)," said Fortkamp. "Can you imagine if you were back in school and your last so-many months of senior year and they tell you to go home?"

Although many expected the outcome, it was still came as a bit of a shock.

"Everybody kind of knew," said Niekamp. "The MAC ADs met last week to put together a schedule. We knew it likely wasn't going to happen. Once you hear (the governor) say those words, it hits you."

"I had a son graduate last year," said Goodwin. "I could not imagine a senior parent or senior student going through this. My heart goes out to them."