All signs point to spring

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
All the signs are here that winter may finally be over.
Sure, we are just a few days removed from the largest snowfall we got this winter (although it was here for only half a day) and there is still a nip in the air, but the signs are out that spring is here.
Area baseball teams are in full swing, if you will pardon the pun, and boats are starting to hit the water again.
Sometimes it's hard to believe.
It seems like just the other day that we were busy buying Christmas gifts, now, here we are planning vacations and looking for summer clothes.
Sure, there are all the traditional signs of spring that we all like to talk about, things like flowers blooming, birds chirping and so on and so on.
I knew spring was here on Monday when I got a message from Russellville Middle School football coach Larry Gilmer.
Coach Gilmer asked that we put a brief in the paper about an upcoming player/parent meeting concerning spring practice.
That is always the point in which I know spring is here.
The only problem I have with that is the fact it gets later each year. I remember my first spring practice with Coach Gilmer.
We started in mid-February when it was freezing cold.
So I have always tied spring with football.
I consider winter to be that period of time from the end of one college football season to national signing day.
Now, here we are three days from spring practice in Tuscaloosa.
Auburn and some other SEC schools have already hit the field.
Spring practice has always been something to get us through for a little while.
There are some great things like the Masters, the NCAA tournament, baseball spring training and maybe the best of all, the end of the NBA season, in the spring.
So sports fans, it's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a great time of the year.
At least for about another month.