Pandemic impacting Crocker’s athletic schedule

The coronavirus pandemic may have impacted Ed Crocker’s life more than any other player, coach, or sports official. Crocker has refereed high school basketball for 26 years before deciding against officiating this season. Maine’s high school basketball season is underway as teams play a reduced schedule while players, coaches and officials don masks. This winter is not the first time the pandemic has impacted Crocker’s role in youth athletics.

Last fall, Crocker was ready to coach Boothbay Region’s football team before Maine Principals’ Association ended the season due to coronavirus concerns. Crocker also coaches Boothbay’s varsity baseball team and that season was the pandemic’s first high school sports victim. The MPA ended the spring season as teams were in early preparations. 

Even though Crocker is not refereeing, he is busy. In November, he led “Itty Bitty Motion” from 4 to 5 p.m. on Friday afternoons. Crocker leads an hour of gymnastics-based events with kids tumbling, summersaulting, doing flips and turns and running an obstacle course. “The Y wanted a gymnastics program, but I’m not a gymnast so we are doing a modified program.” The first session ends Jan. 29.

The youth program began in the field house before being moved to another room due to LincolnHealth using the field house for vaccinations. Crocker is also coaching two youth basketball programs. Last fall, he coached “Itty Bitty Basketball” for boys and girls in grades 1-3. This winter, he is coaching another youth co-ed basketball team for grades 4-6 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. “This is nothing new for me. I’ve coached teams at the Y since I was 18 years old,” Crocker said.

Crocker decided against refereeing this season due to uncertainties in high school basketball schedules and the pandemic. “I wanted to referee, but I couldn’t commit to a game and have it canceled,” he said. “I’m involved in too many things and just can’t commit to something that may change. Also, my work and family are important and I didn’t think it was worth the risk of getting sick.”

Crocker is looking forward to watching his daughter, Emilie, play for the Lady Seahawks this season even though he will not attend any games. When the Lady Seahawks traveled to Winthrop for a game, the coronavirus threw him another curveball. Crocker tried to watch the game on Winthrop’s online channel. “You had to purchase a season pass to watch one game, so we watched the boys’ game on BRTV (Boothbay Region Television) instead,” he said. “I’m glad Emilie is a junior this year because it’s harder on players in their senior year. The worst part was last baseball season because it was (son) Hunter’s senior year, and we lost the whole season.”

Last fall, the coronavirus also ended Maine’s college football season. This meant Crocker could not watch son Cameron play for the University of New England in Biddeford. Hunter, Crocker’s youngest son, is attending Thomas College in Waterville. He was one of the last freshmen cut from the Huskies’ baseball roster last fall. “UNE is going to have spring football, and a limited number will be allowed to watch games. So I’m looking forward to that,” Ed Crocker said. “Hunter is considering playing basketball next year or he may give baseball another shot. So that would be great, too.”

But next spring, Coach Crocker may be returning to the sidelines possibly coaching two sports. When the MPA canceled the high school football season last fall, the organization indicated a possible spring season could occur, followed by baseball. Crocker does not think Boothbay Region would play football this spring. “I don't see it happening. There is no way our field would be ready for football this spring,” he said.

Crocker is hopeful Boothbay will field a baseball team this spring. “Every year we are close on numbers. I don’t think COVID-19 will be a factor. I think the MPA will have a baseball season. What I don’t know is whether Boothbay will have enough players for a team,” he said.