Well, it’s that time of the year once more when football, volleyball, soccer, golf, and cross country will start the 2014-15 high school sports season. The golf season has already started, while volleyball just began practices Monday.

I will be busy for the next few weeks getting previews from local area football teams for our special football preview edition coming out on Aug. 27.

Last season, River High School dropped its marching band. This season, Hundred suspended its football program for the 2014-15 school year for two related reasons: a recent history of concussion and other injuries; and a low number of students to come out for the sport, for whatever reasons.

However, the school has formed an advisory group to find out what sports and/or other extracurricular activities the students want and what options are available to make them happen.

One has to wonder how the absence of a football team this season will affect the townspeople and students. Consider the following: Without football, the band won’t be able to perform weekly and the cheerleaders won’t be able to promote the Hornet school spirit on Friday nights.

The school will be without revenue from the gate and concessions at home games and local merchants will experience some home-game loss of income.

On the other side, the school will not have the expense of transportation, which includes bus operator wages and the cost of fuel. Families, also, can save on the cost of transportation to away games.

The only other known public schools without a football program this year are Union Grant in Grant County and Paw Paw in Morgan County.

*****

In a different direction, I got to cross another thing off my Bucket List. Not only did I set sail on Carnival Cruise Line, I got to ride an ATV in the Mexican jungle. Now that’s a first for me and probably a lot of other people.

I mean, who do you know that has ridden an ATV in a Mexican jungle? (Did you even know Mexico had jungles?) Okay, so that was not on my Bucket List. But, it was interesting and I had a nice time in Cozumel.

The people there spoke English very well and the prices of most items were very cheap compared to the states. While walking on the beach, I saw a Mexican boy catch a fish and take it to a restaurant, where it went on the menu as the “catch of the day.” The scenery there was breathtaking.

The water was calm and it was a nice ride throughout the week. On the cruise ship, I saw my first live stand-up comedy show that I can now cross off my list, too.

I also can cross off seeing a whale. Sure, I’ve seen one at Sea World, but never while eating an early-morning breakfast on a cruise ship.

We ate dinner every day with the same people and in this column is a picture of all but two couples as they perused last year’s football edition.

This year’s edition will out Aug. 27 and I’m excited about it. Judy Light at the Tyler Star News and I look forward every year to preparing it. There will be pictures of three area bands and cheerleaders, as well as a special place for the high schools’ mascots.

In the coming weeks, we will have previews of as many sports as we can get in. Remember, I will be having a space with photos of Friday Night Lights. If you don’t see me at a game and you want to share a picture, please send it to me at Bcrawford@wetzelchronicle.com.

In conclusion, I hurt for the kids that came out for football at Hundred but will be unable to participate. Trace Adkins’ song, “You’re Gonna Miss This,” comes to my mind. And maybe yours, too.