So this is a little different than my average column for this series, but this story is definitely making the rounds and the different angles I hear make it an interesting story on pop culture.
So what do you think about the girls’ basketball game where Covenant beat Dallas Academy 100-0?
Is this another example of a society that is too obsessed with sports and competition and has little understanding for humility or a fair spirit?
Or is this simply a team playing hard against another team, using the athletic gifts God’s given them, and playing as the sport was meant to be played?
While different reports are coming in as far as how things actually occurred, I think this is one of those cases where there are some clear lessons to be learned. I’m pretty sure Jesus would not digg a team continuing to go for the jugular when the other team was down and out of it. A full court press in the 4th quarter when you’re up by 88? Taking 3s for the whole game? Fans and coaches yelling to keep going so you can hit the benchmark of winning by 100?
I’m all for competition and playing hard, but that goes a little too far. By all accounts, the Dallas Academy team took things pretty well, but even I would be a little upset if a team was going after me hard when they weren’t just winning comfortably, but in fact killing my team. It starts to feel like they’re trying to embarrass you at some point. That’s not acceptable.
What I don’t like, however, is the blowback that’s demonizing the Covenant team. Yes they were wrong. Yes they should have known better, and yes they deserve some admonishment, but it’s not acceptable to embarrass them either, especially when overall the tone has been apologetic. Should the coach be fired for saying he wasn’t sorry for the win? That’s a little murkier, but please don’t go after them so hard because they were getting caught up in the moment. Let them move on too.
Remember, basketball is a competition and sometimes victories are a little lopsided and I don’t think teams should quit playing- work in some subs, don’t press so hard, but they should keep playing the game. I think Jesus would digg competition in the right spirit. I remember the seminary had a logo up in the Pederson Fieldhouse saying something like, “Gracious in Victory, Noble in Defeat”. I think this was the right spirit and this is what I hope people would take out of stories like this and apply to all levels of athlectics.
Tags: basketball, covenant, dallas academy, jesus
So sad!I purposely didn’t allow my children to participate in organized sports because of this very common example I observed in their early years of participation. Unfortunately examples like this coach are more the norm than the exception.I don’t think it was too hard on him to be fired. I am encouraged by that action.All too often a slap on the wrist is given which sends the wrong message.We are talking about an adult here and if he is too imature as to be caught up in the moment than he shouldn’t be in charge of shaping the lives of these young people and I mean young people on both teams.I pray that some day he will “get it “.Also I will say that if my child would have been on that team that night I would have pulled her or him from the floor long before the blow out and taken them home. Some where along the way parents have lost the knowledge that they are the ones responsible for shaping their children’s lives, not the teachers, coaches, pastors, baby-sitters,T.V.’s etc. God has entrusted that responsibility to you, their parent.The above are there to help but the responsability is yours. If He has that much confidence in you, to care for HIS little one then do it with the all the authority He has bestowed upon you.