All the best to ‘unsung heroes’ of student athletics in fall season

Around here, football is almost synonymous with fall. It might still be 97 degrees outside, and we might still have trips to the beach planned to enjoy a little sun and surf, but if it’s football time, it’s fall.

However, football is not the only student sport taking the spotlight each September. As long summer days become brisk fall nights, we’re cheering on the gridiron gang right along with you – but we also need to give a shout out to the “unsung heroes” of the fall sports season, wishing good luck to volleyball players and cross-country runners across Franklin County.

Volleyball and cross country don’t always get the attention drawn by action under the Friday night lights. By-and-large, these teams are made up of a far smaller number of students – but these student-athletes are no less dedicated. Like their counterparts on the football field, these students train, practice, fight and sweat their way through seasons full of personal victories, meaningful stats and growing together as a team, with a team mentality forged in the fires of competition against rivals near and far.

We want to give a round of applause to these devoted student-athletes and let them know how proud we are of their hard work, their determination and their school spirit. Every time a volleyball player sets foot on the court, or a cross-country runner steps out onto the path, he or she represents a Franklin County school in a big way.

We’re sure our local teams will face challenges this season, bringing both victories and defeats back home. But win or lose, we are proud of these student-athletes and what they have set out to accomplish. Be sure to take the time to cheer them on.