Somewhere the Beach Boys are crying.
The theme of one of their classic songs from 1963, “Be True to Your School,” is now an afterthought.

The news of professional golfer Grayson Murray’s death by suicide hit the news cycle Memorial Day weekend.

Murray was 30 years-old and seemed well on his way to a successful career in professional golf. He had a caring family and a devoted fiancé. On the surface, everything seemed so right for Murray, but it wasn’t.

Sometimes the rumor mill is true, and a coaching search ends up as a winning situation for all involved.
Within a few days of Baker School and former head football coach Barry Gardner agreeing to part ways, I heard a rumor that never went away in the coaching search.

By the time this column hits the website and print edition the only thing left in the 2023-24 sports year will be Crestview’s spring football game at Walton.
And just like that another school year is ending and the cycle of life continues to move on.

It seems like only yesterday that I was 16 years old and getting my driver’s license. Actually, it should have been 50 years ago tomorrow, May 10, 1974, but I had spring football practice and had to wait until we had the following Wednesday off.

Thursday, April 18 of this year will go down as one of the more unusual days I’ve experienced in my 30 years or so in the newspaper business. It was the first time I’ve written three stories in the same day about coaches, and in this case, one a full-time pastor, who also helps out as an assistant coach stepping down from their positions.

There is a cycle of life that comes with being a sports writer covering high school sports. As certain times of the year draw closer, I can almost feel a change in my body.

It seems I have a knack for covering long baseball games involving Crestview High School.
Back in 2014, I was there when Crestview hosted Navarre in what turned out to be an 18-inning game. Crestview won 1-0, scoring the only run of the game in the bottom of the 18th.

I love this time of year as March Madness winds down and basketball starts to take a backseat to baseball. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy basketball. I especially enjoy the relationships I’ve had with coaches, players and families through the years.