As the Christmas season arrives and the lights go up across our communities, it’s a perfect time to pause and say thank you to the coaches and student-athletes who give so much throughout the year.

To our coaches: thank you for the countless hours spent on practice fields, in gyms, on buses, and in film rooms. You teach far more than wins and losses. You model discipline, accountability, teamwork, and character, and you invest in young people long after the final whistle sounds.

To our student-athletes: thank you for representing your schools and communities with pride. You juggle classrooms and competitions, early mornings and late nights, victories and disappointments, all while learning lessons that will last a lifetime. Your effort, sportsmanship, and resilience inspire fans of all ages.

High school sports are about more than scoreboards. They bring towns together, create lifelong memories, and remind us what it means to work toward something bigger than ourselves.

This Christmas, we are grateful for every practice, every game, every cheer from the stands, and every lesson learned along the way. May the holiday season bring rest, joy, and time with family and may the New Year bring continued success both on and off the field.

Merry Christmas and thank you for all you do.

1-2-3 break.