Back: Felicity Jessen, Mollee Krum, Rylee Nay, Heidi Cranford, Stephanie Larson, Coach Troy Hultgren Front: Josee Krum, Sara Sumner, Jordyn Zimmer, Amanda Cranford, Addison Hultgren - Courtesy image by David Larson
A couple of weeks ago the Huntley Project Girls Softball Little League won their championship. The crowd wasn’t big but it was definitely energetic. Moms, Dad, Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Aunts and Uncles filled the bleachers as well as the lawn chair brigades strung along the fence line. Brothers and sisters ran freely around the park with their shrieks and squeals mingling with the cheering and wailing as high drama played out on the diamond. The entire game was close and even the ending was fitting of two great teams coming head to head – an extra inning with Huntley Project coming out the victor over their Lockwood rivals – the score, 9 to 8.
Coach Troy Hulgren and the girls gathered at home plate and chanted their appreciation for the other team and the great game they played. This was a big deal to these girls, to these parents, family and friends. It dawned on me how I had, once again, witnessed an everyday blessing that made me thankful for living in the community I live. During this emotional game; the last game of the season; the game that would determine the Champions for the year 2012; not one angry word, not one disgusting gesture or outburst, not one taunt or slur was seen or uttered. With all the bad press that little league sports have been getting in recent years about out of control parents acting out their frustrations or yelling corrections at their child – not once did I witness any of this. It made me proud that I was a part of it and got me to thinking about the role sports play in a community such as ours.
As anyone can tell you that’s lived in small town America, the center of a community is it’s school. A post office may give a community its identity but its school is the glue and sports are the bond formed making a community into a cohesive whole. Sports are a big deal in small communities but not in a back thumping, chest pounding, we are the best, way. Yes, there is some of that and, to quote an old “Seinfeld” bit, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” But more importantly sports offer a way of community to gather and focus on a shared goal – cheering their team onto excellence. Notice I did not say victory – as I see it winning is secondary and by definition demands a loser. Pursuit of excellence however can be achieved win or lose.
I admit, I’m a small town sports fanatic. I believe in them and I view them as essential to, not only the development of a community’s social cohesiveness, but as a vehicle in teaching life lessons, values and ideals.
You want determination? Look at a little t-ball player who has just connected with the ball for the first time and is coached around the bases – he’s running his heart out. A mite dazed and unsure what he’s doing or why but he’s DOING it and doing it with every ounce of determination in his/her little body can muster. You want courage? Just ask the 11 y.o. who has struck out every time at bat for the entire season. Watch as she walks up to home base for the umpteenth time her head telling her this time won’t be any different than the other times but trusting in her coach who follows her from the dugout to the plate encouraging her, telling her that she CAN do it, giving her faith in herself. Faith takes courage. Sacrifice, discipline, hard work … all this can be seen in sports at the grade, middle and high school level and especially in smaller towns where the bond is tighter between player and spectator.
There’s an old saw… “It takes a village to raise a child”. Old saws or clichés become clichés because of particles of truth they contain but I’d add this, “It takes a united cohesive village to raise a child” Sports, when done right, promote the unity.
Congratulations to the HUNTLEY PROJECT LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL GIRLS thank you for taking us along for the ride.
By Lynn Meade Larson
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