NORMALLY at this time of year, local football would be getting into the swing of things.
The men’s season would have kicked off last week and the women’s season a couple of weeks away.
Four clubs, Keilor, Strathmore, Hillside and Taylors Lakes, were looking forward to this weekend, playing on one of the biggest days of the year, Good Friday.
But instead there is an eerie silence.
There are no games, let alone training sessions and team dinners to announce the sides each week.
The loud music in the rooms has been replaced with echoes, while there is no getting on the beers after the game.
Like all the professional codes, local football and netball has grinded to a halt with COVID-19.
Not many people could remember something like this, that has had an impact on sport at so many levels.
Sport is just a minor thing in the overall picture, but for many, myself included, football is my life.
I’m a supporter, member, observer and the last few years I’ve even become a player in the EDFL competition.
But for me it doesn’t end there, with, not one but both of my jobs revolving around football.
So for me, my life has come to a massive screaming halt.
I’ve been stood down from the job I love at Star Weekly for a number of months.
Instead of preparing to cover the local football season, I’ve been spending the days wondering what to do.
My second job is working at the MCG and that isn’t happening, either.
So when not focused on work, sport is my passion, including training twice a week for football and then once the season starts, a game every weekend.
Last year there was even a sneaky game of netball here or there in the EDFL’s new competition.
But they both have been taken away, too.
It has left many footballers and netballers with the question of what to do with all this spare time?
How do you keep those valuable social networks going and make sure that, come when the season starts, you are ready to go?
Your coaches and teammates still play a massive role in this. WhatsApp and Facebook groups have become even more important.
Not only is it a way to communicate, but a way to inspire and keep each other motivated. Some clubs are having fitness challenges, while others have turned to the trick shots videos for a bit of a laugh.
Apps like Zoom have become the new norm. Whether it’s to see you all working out together or having regular team meetings and catch-ups.
While your teammates are there with you, each and every footballer has to make their own commitment.
You could sit there and spend plenty of time on the couch watching footy replays while eating chocolate and having a beer.
For me, I’m going to try and get fit. I’ve been saying that for a long time, but I’ve got no excuse this time with plenty of time on my hands.
I’ve set up a home gym and found a few different workouts. I’ve limited the times I’m at a supermarket, which means less chocolate, too.
My mindset has also changed. Heading into the season, I saw this as my last year of playing football having only started playing after the age of 30.
The plan was to play all 14 games this year and hopefully a few finals, and it would get me to 50-plus career games and I could happily retire.
That probably isn’t going to happen, so maybe there might just be another season in me yet.
My focus isn’t just on getting myself right to go on the field, but also for a few months’ time when I’m back annoying coaches on Sunday mornings asking for their thoughts on the previous day’s matches.
I never thought I would say this, I’m already missing working Sundays.
Or that some of those annoying people on BigFooty have actually become people you want to hear from as it is at least some football talk.
Hopefully I’ll have a few stories on here [feel free to throw out ideas] and I’ll join the EDFL Media boys with some other projects.
But in the meantime, I have to settle into what has become the new norm. Football and netball can’t return soon enough.
