UPDATES: On day six of life without sports, we try and adjust to the new realities

A look at the Huntington Beach High school on-campus baseball field, one of the top facilities in the county, (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

AN INTRODUCTION: Times like this make us wonder if life as we knew it will return anytime soon….at this point, because of the coronavirus, it sure doesn’t look like it.

Schools are closed and all high school sports are put on hold. We can’t visit fantastic ballparks like the one at Huntington Beach to see great high school baseball and most baseball and softball tournaments have been canceled. The NCAA basketball tournament and all NCAA spring sports are cancelled, the NBA and NHL seasons are put on hold and Major League’s baseball exhibition season canceled. Even the XFL, which showed some promise, has canceled the remainder of its first season.

For the sports fan, there really is nothing to watch, anywhere, any time, leaving many of us with an empty feeling and too much time on our hands.

So, we’re all trying to adjust. OC Sports Zone, through its generous partners, is committed to continuing its regular publication schedule and wants to help everyone get through these troubling times.

Like you, we’re concerned about our own families and friends and all those across the world who have been inflected with this dreaded disease. We all need to take this seriously. We appreciate the work of doctors and nurses and our first responders and law enforcement personnel.

We’re following all the recommended guidelines, like social distancing, consistent hand washing and staying at home for work…..plus no handshakes for a while. But we’re still connected to many in Orange County through E-mails and phone calls, and when we do get a chance to get out into our communities, we sense people are really, really worried, for good reason. Many families are hurting as they try to make ends meet while calming their own fears and that of loved ones.

But we need to try and get through this crisis together with hopes we can all survive and one day, return to the life we once enjoyed. This can be a forum where we help each other.

We will provide updates about what’s going on, share some thoughts and perhaps even some laughs from time to time. It really is a work in progress and to be successful, we need your participation.

MIXED SIGNALS: There was a glimmer of hope from the CIF State Office Tuesday when officials announced that they were postponing a decision to continue or call off the CIF playoffs until April 3. Then, later in the day, the Los Angeles Times and other media sources reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it was unlikely that schools in California would return this school year. You can imagine the roller coaster of emotions that seniors, who would like to finish their senior year, were feeling.

A COACH WEIGHS IN: Tustin High baseball coach Charles Chatman had some advice for those who are making decisions regarding the possible cancellation of the high school sports spring season.

“Maybe someone will be reminded that our spring senior athletes like our winter and fall athletes, need closure,” he said Tuesday. “These are not professional or collegiate athletes, there are no do-over options. If we take away their season, the majority will never participate in organized athletics again.

“So if that’s the route we end up taking, it needs to be 100 percent right. I’m reassured to hear they they aren’t making the decision in haste.”

GRAB AND GO MEALS: The Huntington Beach Unified School District is offering “grab and go meals” for all students in the district at Ocean View and Westminster High Schools Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m. Santa Ana Unified School District has a similar program at 13 sites and information can be found on the district’s website.

TUSTIN UNIFIED CLOSES: The Tustin Unified School District Board of Education met Tuesday and passed an emergency resolution in response to the coronavirus pandemic.  As a result, all Tustin Unified schools will be closed from Monday, March 23, through Friday, April 10.

“This decision was reached after considering the health and safety of our students and staff, guidance provided by the State of California, and in consultation with Orange County public health and education agencies,” TUSD Board President Francine Scinto said in a statement.

The district schools are on spring break this week.

MVPS FOR THE DAY: We applaud Target and other stores for opening their stores an hour early beginning Wednesday to allow seniors and others with underlying health conditions to shop. We are happy to publicize this information for other stores. More information on the hours at the stores is available on the Target website. Target is one of the favorites stores for a few of us here and they earned additional respect with this move. It’s the kind of spirit we need to see in challenging times.

TIP OF THE DAY: Some time on a treadmill or a stationary bike at home seems beneficial to help deal with all this stress and you won’t have to risk going outside. Another coach said he practices yoga. If you have other suggestions, please send so we can share with our readers.

If you would like to contribute news items, please send to Tim Burt; timburt@ocsportszone.com so we can share with our readers.