At the time of writing, the Moses Lake Education Association is on its third day of striking as it works toward an agreement with the Moses Lake School District. It’s no secret these strikes have led to a ripple effect of outcomes, the most notable being that school has not been in session this week as negotiations continue and teachers strike.  

In the midst of this, questions were understandably raised by community members about whether the first week of winter sports would still take place. In a statement by MLSD, it said this decision would be up to the discretion of the coaches, as they can communicate directly with their athletes and perhaps more importantly, practices and games could not be made up like school days could.  

“Families will need to provide their own transportation to and from practices, and the District will provide transportation from school sites to and from competitions,” the statement said.  

However, that answer was given Tuesday as the Mavericks basketball and boys wrestling competed. The student athletes of Moses Lake High School were still able to hit the court or mat and start the winter sports season. The Mavericks boys and girls basketball teams earned their first wins of the season after they both defeated the Ephrata Tigers on the road. Meanwhile, the boys wrestling team went through with their jamboree.  

Amid the back and forth of the strike, it’s great to see that athletics are not getting disrupted, at least. It’s hard to watch students lose valuable time that could be spent in the classroom, but there’s a positive perspective to take that student-athletes still can participate in their sports.  

If you ask any athlete, past or present, many of them would say their respective sport can serve as an escape for them, or it’s become an integral part of managing their mental health. Some only go to school because the sport draws them to campus each day. As a young man who had a complex home situation when I was in high school, I can understand the importance of after-school activities.  

Just like the classrooms, athletics is a space where young minds can continue to be shaped. Invaluable life lessons and relationships with role models can be curated in this space. I have met former athletes like Ciarah Knoll, who described softball as a sport that, in a way, saved her and credited her close relationship with Mike Hofheins as an important part of her time as an athlete.  

I’m also confident that if you ask any coach at Moses Lake — or anywhere else for that matter — ‘What is the most important to you as a coach?’ One of the first things they will point to is helping mentor student athletes into becoming positive contributors to their community and imparting lessons they can carry with them years beyond their time at MLHS.  

I commend coaches, athletes and parents who are finding a way to keep winter sports intact as this strike continues. Like everyone else who has been keeping an eye on this situation, I do hope a resolution is found sooner rather than later.  

In the meantime, if you’re able, go support those student athletes and students in other extracurriculars. Their hard work deserves to be celebrated and it’s another opportunity where we can show up for each other in a trying time.