Telegraph Sports Reporter Tom KIng.

It’s all a matter of perspective as the area high schools have prepared and begun for a season of the ultimate contact sport in what is now a non contact world.

We are fortunate and should appreciate what has taken place so far.

That’s how some see this 2020 high school football Season of Reason that New Hampshire is undertaking, and they’re right.

For example, Nashua High School North coach Dante Laurendi has run several practices in the last two weeks and was slated to have a game under his team’s belt. But he looks to other states and sees empty fields.

And he counts his and all of our blessings.

“My brother-in-law coaches at one of the best high schools in New York City,” he said. “They’re not playing. My college roommate has kids that play in Connecticut, and they’re not playing.”

And that makes him appreciate the game even more.

“You have to realize we have a privilege that a lot of these surrounding states, as far I know, don’t have,” he said. “As far as I know, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont (actually 7 on 7 there), they’re not playing. We are. We’re right in the middle of all of those.”

“Let’s use the gift that we have and play, and not be begrudging or disappointed.”

He’s absolutely right. Fan limits? No biggie, they can watch in Nashua on TV or on line. Uncertain schedules or playoff? Hey, just play the game, it will all work out.

Now the key is making sure everyone can stay safe. Nothing is foolproof, but we can all try.

Souhegan High School coach Robin Bowkett said his principal, Michael Berry, has talked with the Saber players a couple of times that they can be leaders, setting an example of being able to play and doing the smart things away from the school.

“It’s not so much what we’re doing in school, on the practice field,” Bowkett said. “It’s more what they’re doing when they go home. We have to trust (the players) that they’ll do the right thing when they’re away from school.”

The kids seem to be getting used to the protocols.

“Everybody’s more than happy to follow what you need to do,” Laurendi said. “That’s going to be the tough adjustment for parents and fans, to get that done. … I just hope we can all understand to do the things we need to do in order to play.”

Of course, the uncertainty of it all creates a little helter skelter approach. Teams aren’t quite at the level they want to be at.

“But everybody is in the same position,” Merrimack coach Kip Jackson said. “We have to keep moving forward and try to get better every day we’re out here.”

And appreciate every day they’re out there on the practice field more than ever.

“There’s the other side. One of my best friends is a football coach in the town I grew up in in New York, and they’re not playing,” Jackson said. “As we said throughout the summer, we’ll do whatever it takes for us to have an opportunity to get back on the field.”

Then the trick is to stay on that field.

“It’s like Russian Roulette,” Milford High School coach Keith Jones said, his team with a bye week this past Friday but set to begin next weekend. “Say we practice for a week or two weeks, and then we’re going into game week, and suddenly someone gets sick. And then we have to miss two weeks. And the team we were going to play, they’ll have to miss their game, too.”

As Bowkett said, “The kids understand what their next two months could look like if they do it right.

“There’s no one else playing around us, right? Maine can’t make a decision (they since cancelled the season) and Vermont is doing 7 on 7. Wild times.”

It will take work, and luck, but all the teams can make these good times under the circumstances.

And the best time will be getting through a five week season and whatever the length is for a post season. Wins and losses are measured differently now.

“Whatever playoff we get to, if we get there, that’s a huge win,” Laurendi said. “And we’ll take it.”

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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