We are privileged to live in a small regional community and still have a local newspaper. However, it would be fantastic if our local newspaper could cover more about events actually taking place in the North Quabbin region versus just national news — in particular, local youth sports.
In a day and age where there is a decline in the number of youth getting involved in extracurricular activities, such as athletics, it would be great if we could recognize their efforts within our own local paper. It used to be common place to turn to the sports section of the paper and read more detailed writings of sporting events, not just at the varsity level, but also at the middle school level, and for local organizations such as the YMCA and Little League.
Each sport used to have at least a paragraph about its most recent game, and not just one or two sentences. I cannot go and turn on the TV and learn of what’s happening in local youth sports on the news, nor can I readily access that via the internet like I can for professional sports.
It would be great if we could see more of our local athletes, read about their efforts and recognize our local youth for what they do on the field. Some may think that athletics do not play a part in a student’s education, however, students have to learn camaraderie and teamwork, self-discipline and communication.
For a small town paper — and a relatively small region — let’s get back to focusing more on our community. I’m sure the students, coaches, and families of local athletes would appreciate it.
Tracy Thompson
Athol