sportsmanship award is the ultimate honor
There was a moment in the mid-90's when Collegiate was playing St. Catherine's in a fiercely contested semifinal game in the League of Independent Schools basketball tournament.
For much of the first half, the coach of the visiting team did his best to contain his frustration, but perhaps he said a few words which could be construed as harsh to the guys in the striped shirts and maybe even stomped his booted foot when a call or two hadn't gone the Cougars' way.
When his squad returned to the court to warm up before the second half, the coach, only slightly less perturbed, headed for the table to give the scorer his starting lineup.
Before he got there, however, he had to pass his bench, where waiting for him was co-athletic director Karen Doxey with a stern look on her face.
"Just coach," she said firmly and succinctly, then returned to her seat in the stands.
That was all she needed to say.
I definitely got the point.
Though we took it on the chin that February afternoon, I really doubt that the officials had anything to do with our demise. It was the Saints' day, not ours, and that experience was definitely a reminder that while I wasn't getting paid much to coach back then, I wasn't getting paid anything at all to referee.
It was also a clearly delivered message that the cornerstone of our athletic program was, is, and always will be sportsmanship.
Earlier this week, the Virginia Prep League bestowed its 2007-2008 sportsmanship award on Collegiate.
While it's a Prep League honor, it truly reflects the efforts of everyone who competed in that league as well as the LIS because every athlete and every coach is responsible for setting the tone and upholding the principle that we can play with passion, fire, and zeal without compromising the virtue we hold most dear.
Our teams by nature win with grace and humility, they handle disappointment and defeat with dignity, and they rarely make excuses. And with very few exceptions, spectators at our events let the coaches coach, the players play, and the officials officiate.
Good sportsmanship, though, isn't always what's obvious in the public arena.
It's altering your game plan at midstream so you won't embarrass the other team when you have it soundly beaten.
It's helping your opponent to his feet after you've delivered a shot, literally or figuratively, that's knocked him to the turf.
It's keeping your mouth shut when the call, or the outcome, doesn't go your way.
It's supporting your school mates in all sports and cheering them on without disparaging the efforts of their competitors.
It's respecting the guys and girls in the opposing colors no matter how intense the rivalry might be or how tall an order that is to fill.
It's remembering that games are just that -- games -- and that learning to deal with the challenges they present will teach you to deal with the true challenges of life.
Petey Jacobs, the embodiment of Collegiate's athletic philosophy, coached basketball and baseball and served as our athletic director for many years.
He dearly loved to win, but he impressed on his athletes and coaches, in words and through his own actions, the importance of sportsmanship above all else.
He retired in 1981 and remained a huge supporter of the Green and Gold until his passing in 1995.
He'd love our 9 league and 2 state championships this past school year.
He'd love the tenacity, dedication, and teamwork that all our athletes displayed.
He'd love the way our coaches, most of whom know him only by reputation, pursued their calling.
But the commitment to sportsmanship that resulted in our public recognition.
Of that, he'd be extremely proud.
