As February begins to wind down, and while the weather outside may still be chilly, many local boys and girls high school basketball teams are keeping gyms throughout the region warm.

While March Madness at the collegiate level is still officially a few weeks away, it is a joy to see the community spirit for our young student athletes.

The Lawrence County community has been privileged with several teams over the past half-decade to advance deep in the tournament. Obviously, the joy and pain can be seen, felt and heard with every shot made or turnover. That is exactly the way it should be, as this emotion and spirit from our communities ramps up this time of year.

Each community wants their team to win and advance, but many times we see teams and fans staying to support other teams from around Lawrence County. That shows a true sense of community pride that makes our county and region a special place.

However, with all the community spirit and the desire for our team to advance, we must remember first and foremost that all those playing are just kids, likely playing because of their love of the game. We cannot lose that perspective regardless of the outcome because in the end, it is just a game.