Some Coaches and Schools Still Get It

For most of my adult life, I have been involved in high school athletics in one way or another. I have always looked at high school sports as an extension of the classroom. At this level, sports should not be just about wins and losses; it should be about teaching young men and women important lessons about life: the value of hard work, team work, and dedication to a goal. Over the years, it seems as if more and more folks have lost sight of the educational role of high school athletics, focusing instead on winning at all costs. Every year we see more and more examples of coaches actually fighting with one another, parents screaming like crazed lunatics from the stands, and game officials being attacked. And yet just when I begin to feel as if high school sports have permanently changed for the worse, a story emerges that shows some coaches and some schools still get it.

Last week, our nation was horrified by the news of yet another school shooting. A 17-year-old student at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Washington opened fire in the school cafeteria. Three students were killed, and several others seriously wounded. Had a heroic young teacher not intervened as the shooter was trying to reload, the loss of life would certainly have been far greater. The tragedy ripped at the hearts of everyone in the Marysville community.

That same week, the Pilchuck football team was scheduled to play the Oak Harbor High Wildcats. The game would decide the league championship, no small matter in the modern world of high school sports. I’m sure no one was surprised when it was announced that the game would not be played as scheduled. After all, the Pilchuck community was dealing with a tragedy of the worst magnitude, and it’s only right that they be given time to grieve the terrible loss inflicted upon them. But the coaches, players and administration at Oak Harbor High saw the circumstances as more than a game to be rescheduled. They saw an opportunity to teach their students, their athletes, and even some of their parents an important lesson about priorities in life. Oak Harbor sent word that they did not want to reschedule the game. Instead, they opted to forfeit, voluntarily accepting second place and handing the league championship to Pilchuck. On top of that, when Pilchuck held a memorial vigil later in the week, every member of the Oak Harbor football team showed up, in uniform, to show their support.

I really wish I could get on an airplane, fly out to Washington, and shake the hand of each and every player and coach on the Oak Harbor football team. Through their one act of kindness and compassion, they have shown our entire nation the true meaning of sportsmanship. League championships are important, but they pale in comparison to the importance of teaching our young people to do the right thing.

We have seen similar examples set by some of our local high school teams. When Hundred High School was forced to cancel its football season, Cameron High School and Head Coach Scott Holt invited the senior players from the Hundred team to participate in the Senior Night festivities at Cameron. The Hundred players may have lost their season, but they were still able to walk across the football field and be honored by parents, friends, and teammates for their commitment to Hundred High. Similarly, when three players from Buckeye Local were seriously injured while on their way to a game at John Marshall, a sign went up at JM in support of the Buckeye Local family.

In addition, in a further demonstration of sportsmanship and respect, Coach Rick Goodrich announced that the JM team would wear the numbers of the injured Buckeye Local players on their helmets throughout the remainder of the 2014 season.

I’m sure there are going to be plenty of times in the coming basketball season when I will be disappointed by the actions of players, fans and coaches. It happens every year. Shortly thereafter, someone is going to approach me and ask how, as a basketball official, I’m able to put up with the things we have to deal with, year in and year out. Whenever that happens, I’m going to think about the Oak Harbor football team. I’ll think about the sportsmanship shown by the coaches and players at Cameron and John Marshall. I’ll think about tiny schools like Bishop Donahue, fighting back from the brink of extinction and re-establishing themselves as a team to be reckoned with throughout the state in all three major sports. And I’ll tell whoever is listening that I’m proud to be a small part of high school athletics in the Ohio Valley, because here we still have folks who understand that while teams should always strive to win, the ultimate goal is to teach young people about the things that really matter in life.

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