LUGOFF, S.C. — Coronavirus has affected more than just the health of Americans.
Thousands of jobs have been lost, events cancelled, students are learning from home and most sports have been cancelled.
But one Midlands coach is making it a little more bearable for his high school senior athletes.
“I feel bad for these kids missing out on this opportunity," says Matt Campbell, Athletic Director and head football coach at Lugoff-Elgin High School where he’s been for 5 years.“It’s unfortunate what happened with this whole virus thing. It’s shut the schools down and its shut down spring sports temporarily- we hope.”
Campbell, his wife Jeanene, Rhonda Rhodes and other parents and volunteers felt bad that the spring senior athletes aren’t going to get the play time and recognition that they deserve due to seasons being cancelled.
“We felt like we needed to find a way to get attention drawn to them, get some recognition for them," Campbell explains to News19, "and what we decided- you know our baseball field and our tennis facilities run right along Highway 1 in Lugoff and so we’ve been collection the banners from the senior athletes and posting them out there.”
Campbell says it kept going from there- athletes from other seasons were bringing their signs in too.
“Some of the students that are seniors that didn’t participate in athletics, they’re getting banners made, yard signs made, and we’re putting them out trying to get as much recognition for them as possible," Campbell says. CSI's Mark Houde in Camden is helping many of the students make that possible.
“You’ve got to make the most of whatever opportunity there is," Campell tells News 19, "Obviously its not an ideal situation but life’s got to go on- and there’s going to be rough times in life and you’ve got to just make the most of it.”
