By Jeff Budlong, Tribune sports editor

And we are off.

The flag has dropped on the 2005 fall sports season and although we are little more than a week into the action, there has already been some big performances and more to come I am sure.

I will remember my first week of high school sports coverage at the

Albert Lea Tribune for the Half Moon Invite in Wells.

It had nothing to do with individual finishes or team results. I was impressed at how each runner got out and competed on a course sporting Minnesota’s 10,001st, 10,002nd and 10,003rd lakes thanks to Friday’s downpours that left the beginning of the race in doubt up to a half hour before its scheduled start.

While a certain camera totting sports reporter was doing a rain dance trying to miss one puddle after another, these runners kept their eyes looking forward, and not down choosing to get soaked to insure the best possible effort for their team rather than attempting to stay dry.

High school athletes are not supposed to be on the same scale as professionals, but the level of commitment that many of these high school kids put into what they do is something that needs to be saluted. It is always refreshing to watch an athlete accomplish something for the joy of it rather than because they are being paid to do it.

Conditions may have been less than ideal but that did not stop several runners from putting up impressive performances even if the soggy footing slowed them.

Both Albert Lea and USC/A-C look to have a promising season ahead of them, and this was just a taste of what is to come.

After spending Friday in the rain, it took less than 24 hours for the weather to turn a complete 180. I certainly didn’t have to worry about any puddle-dodging at the Albert Lea boys’ soccer game. a day later.

It doesn’t feel like work when I get the chance to spend a couple of sun-filled hours on the sidelines snapping pictures and watching a game. The end result was not what the Tigers were looking for, but they also showed that they have the ability to contend in the Big Nine if they can shore up a few areas and limit their mistakes.

Volleyball and swimming got their chance to take center stage this week before football gets its season started this Friday.

With that, a busy and all-too-quick fall season will be in full swing.