by Jordan Treloar & Lucas Holmes
COVID-19 has undoubtedly smashed its way into our lives and caused havoc, but for one man, it took more from him than just a chance to play and coach the sports he holds most dear to his heart.
Summary
- Local sport in Bathurst and the rest of the Central West area was cancelled after COVID-19 spread throughout Australia
- Sean Munns and his sporting sides as a Captain and coach lost the chance to fight for the titles due to the cancellation
- COVID-19 is changing how sport and local sport is played in Australia
On Sunday the 15th of March 2020, it was a remarkably better day than it was the day before. A little cold but thankfully no rain in sight, rain that had plagued Bathurst and prevented any play happening on the Saturday of the planned two day Bathurst District Cricket Association Second Grade Quarter Final match against Oberon.
A rather tough match to witness let alone play in, the team known as the Redbacks, led by experienced Captain Sean Munns, held on for a gutsy one-wicket win, securing their place in the competition’s Preliminary Final, against a team that they believed they could defeat and an opportunity to face St Pats in the Grand Final.
READ MORE: St Pat’s crowned Second Grade Champions for the third straight year in Bathurst District Cricket
Munns had that belief inside him, surrounded by his team in the pub after that game, that this could be their shot of premiership glory, and it wasn’t just as a Captain that he could sense victory.
Munns was also coaching two junior sides, one in cricket and one in basketball, both looking good for the premiership too.
But due to the fact that all sport was practically called off three days before the next weekend, all premierships were decided for the winning team, the team at the top of the regular season ladders. For Sean however, his hopes were over as none of his three teams were the minor premiers despite how good their performances and finals chances were.
This was deeply disappointing for all involved, not only for his Redback side missing out on the opportunity to participate in the Preliminary and Grand Finals but also for the children in his two junior sides, who missed out on the chance to successfully make it through to their finals.
While these losses are upsetting for all of those not in the winning teams that did finish the minor premiers, there are bigger issues at play here. COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way sport is viewed and played around the country, from the major leagues to the little communities who amalgamate at a cricket pitch for a juniors match every Saturday morning.
READ MORE: Sports broadcasts at a local level to become even more popular post COVID-19
Munns states that there has been dramatic changes that community sport in Bathurst has gone through, along with a very different future for Bathurst’s community sport, such as social distancing staying in force after COVID-19 and prioritising finances in different areas for sporting organisations.
More importantly, changing things due to this health issue, that being COVID-19, may cause other health issues to form, such as the lack of warming up for sporting events. Munns likens this to an anecdote his PE teacher told him years ago.
“My old PE teacher pulled out a cold stick of gum out of his pocket and tried to stretch it. It broke cleanly in half and then said to all of us ‘This is cold not warmed up muscles’. He then chewed it to warm it up and stretched it again and then said, ‘This is very stretchy. This is muscles warmed up,'” Munns said.
“It’s simple things like this that will be really weird to have to stop doing. Even just shaking hands. It’s just going to be really interesting going forward.”