There are certain moments in one’s life when you start to realize you’re not as young as you once were.

For me, one of those first moments is approaching as June will mark the 10 year anniversary from when I graduated high school.

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My point is not to lament about the appearance of a few grey hairs or a slightly (OK, more than slightly) receding hairline, but rather to point out that I have been involved in high school sports for quite some time now — whether playing them myself or covering them for various publications over the years.

In my nearly 15 years of being involved with high school sports, this will certainly go down as one of the most trying.

The unexpected passing of Winthrop’s Kelsey Stoneton in August and Messalonskee’s Cassidy Charette just a few short weeks ago rocked the two communities, with the effects rippling into the surrounding towns.

Scars never fully heal, but with time and proper care they do get better.

The events of the past few months have brought me back to that time just after my senior year, a time when I felt what so many of these high school seniors in Winthrop and Oakland have felt when a close, childhood friend of mine passed away following a car crash.

It was a decade ago but I still remember all the little details surrounding it, like the last time we were in the same car together — Maroon 5’s ‘This Love’ (ugh, what a bad song) was playing on the radio when he dropped me off at my parent’s house a little after midnight — or the stupid jokes we used to make in the dugout during town league baseball games.

Those fond memories always helped in the short time after the accident, and continue to do so when certain events in my life remind me of my friend.

What can’t be understated though is how important one’s community is in the healing process and over the past few months central Maine has really shown its true colors.

From opponents giving flowers to members of the Winthrop field hockey and Messalonskee girls soccer teams, to the Boothbay football coaching staff wearing “Team Kels” T-shirts for their game against the Ramblers and Lawrence putting up a sign reading #Messostrong at Keyes Field, the outpouring from local communities has been everywhere — and not just limited to those few.

The fall sports season has just a few short weeks left and it’s a time like this I think back to what colleague Randy Whitehouse wrote nearly two months ago shortly after Stoneton’s passing.

“This is the players’ time. It is their season. Let them play it out,” Whitehouse wrote. “Let them take whatever inspiration they wish from Kelsey Stoneton and let them make her proud in their own way.

“Let the rest of us stand back and watch them make their school and their town proud. And let’s just smile.”

Having stood back and watched athletes from Winthrop, Messalonskee and the surrounding towns compete this fall, many schools and towns have plenty of which to be proud.

And let’s continue to just smile.

Evan Crawley – 621-5640

ecrawley@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @Evan_Crawley