LIFE without all sports running really does suck.
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The coronavirus pandemic has not only locked down society but it has also locked down sport.
Sporting grounds and stadiums across the country are empty of the familiar noises of sport on a weekly basis and it's something we've had to get used to the past few months.
Right now the south-west would've just completed its transition from the vast array of summer sports into its football-netball dominated winter pilgrimages.
Instead athletes, volunteers and committees across the region sit at home in limbo waiting for the green light to flick on so the sports they love so dearly can resume.
But what if the lockdown meant to help us stop the spread of the contagious virus also aids the sports we love thrive as bright as ever in the sunshine after emerging from isolation?
It's a question I have been thinking a lot about lately as all sporting codes find ways to combat the effects brought on by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.
The lockdown has sparked a number of healthy debates in a number of sports across the country.
The AFL is discussing the draft age and how they can better run their national, state and community competitions.
Australian soccer greats in Craig Moore, Mark Viduka, Mark Schwarzer, Josip Skoko, John Aloisi and Vince Grella spoke on Optus Sport's State of Australian Football special about a number of issues plaguing their sport.
Many other sports are having these sorts of discussions and what we see once the lockdowns are lifted is our sports will rise out of it better than ever.
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There will, of course, be the early teething problems but in the years to come we will see that the coronavirus was a blessing in disguise.
Clubs, leagues and associations will be run much more smoothly and efficiently, benefiting anyone who is associated with them.
It will also effect the individuals greatly. I myself am missing the sports I love dearly and want them to return better than ever.
I'm sure there are thousands like me across the country and the south-west region with the same feelings.
The isolation-enforced rethink could reset a lot of what we as sport lovers put our time, energy and money into.
The sports we adore may also change once we emerge from our own isolations
Some may take up a new sport to go with one they already have.
Others may decide they no longer wish to play a certain sport and are willing to concentrate on a new one or one they felt wasn't their main priority in the pre-coronavirus world.
It also gives parents of rising sports stars a chance to have their own discussions with their kids about what sports they do and don't want to continue when we are allowed to gather en masse once again for our favourite activities.
For now we shall and wait and see how long our favourite sports are in isolation and practice our skills and continue to build our love for our sports.
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