The time of year when players, coaches and fans wake up on Saturday and Sunday mornings with their stomachs filled with butterflies.

Players begin imagining kicking the winning goal, scoring the winning try or shooting the winning hoop.

And while coaches prepare the winner’s speech, fans warm-up their vocal cords, deck themselves out in their side’s colours, and finally when at the ground wave banners and signs crazily hoping to outdo the opposition faithful.

It is a time when wonderful winning memories can be made in sports people love to play.

However, unfortunately for every winning memory created, and every premiership won, there has to be a runner up and a memory of missing out on that chance of glory.

A lot of junior sports finals are played in town this Saturday so plenty of people will be waking up tomorrow morning experiencing the classic “nervously excited” feeling.

River Park will be brimming with junior rugby league players and cheering, proud parents. 

Similarly at Edgell Park semi finals get underway in junior soccer. Local hockey sides also go head to head for a place in respective grand finals in the coming weeks.

Our senior sides in finals are on the road.

The AFL Blues play for the first available spot in the Central West AFL final at Bathurst while the reserve grade Maggies face off against Oberon at Oberon.

So fans be sensible, coaches stay positive and players enjoy the game. It might help your team win.

Don’t ruin a great time for your side.

Goodluck to everyone involved in finals during the next few weeks.

It was great to see Kendal street fill on Tuesday morning with parents and shop’s owners and employees catching a glimpse of the Cowra Public School’s Book Parade. 

More than 300 students, along with teachers, suited up as well known characters and did a loop of the town’s main street.

I was there taking some photos, so check out page 18 and you might see a familiar face.

Peter Guthrie