By Charlie Fitzgerald ‘20

As quarantine has been in effect for about eight weeks now, I’ve started to reminisce of the things I miss most about normal life. Topping my list is the Mount Greenwood Rec League.

My four friends and I have been participating in a basketball league since early January and were the #1 seed in the playoffs when the disastrous virus struck.

Nick Reidy was at the Palos Rec Center when he received the text.

“Guys you’re not going to believe this,” Nick said. “Coach Jay has suspended the league indefinitely.”

As all of our faces dropped, we looked to the TV screen where Governor Pritzker announced a stay-at-home order cancelling all local gatherings.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, man!” Luke Whirity exclaimed. “First our baseball season and now the only fun I had left.”

Luke was right. The coronavirus had taken pretty much every piece of fun for a high schooler until at least mid-May, leaving a trail of cancelled concerts, bankrupt stores, and jobless Americans.

The muscle of the team, Bill O’Connell, shed some light on the situation: “This just gives us time to rest. We’ve played our hearts out for two months and now we just have to put it in God’s hands.”

The team and I agreed wholeheartedly with Bill. We couldn’t do anything about it. Jimmy MacGuire even extended a helping hand.

“I have a nice hoop in my backyard,” Jimmy said. “It’s not much, but it sure is better than nothing.”

So now we wait. Passing now our 8th week of the quarantine, I can settle on the rec league being my #1 priority when all the hoopla dies down. I really miss my teammates and the competition that came with the league and can’t wait to get back to it.