This is an exciting time of year for players and coaches for area high school teams, and the students,  parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who get to enjoy their work on fields through out the area.

Weeks of preparation will culminate with opening 2019 high school season football action this weekend.

  We love our schools and we love our sports around here, but the fact that a number of schools have had to enact “fan code of conduct policies” proves there are adults among us who don’t know how to be good fans.

  I think it’s great to cheer on your favorite team, but the  way some fans yell at individual players or coaches is to say the least disturbing.

  I’ve discovered over the years that the fans most likely to make the most ridiculous comments are those who never played the sport themselves.

  Fans should remember that coaches earn literally pennies per hour for the time they spend coaching that alcohol you may enjoy tailgating prior to a game doesn’t make you a smarter fan, and that the player you may be yelling at is someone’s kid or grandchild.

  Football can be a great motivator and teacher especially when fans are respectful of the game coaches and student athletes taking part.

That’s the way I see it.