The world of athletic endeavors
Our school district has enjoyed some sports notoriety in the last couple of weeks that has been exciting for the kids and for the Peabody and Burns communities.
The five Lady Warriors of the cross country squad placed fourth at state, and with a fairly young team, show promise for more of the same in the next few years. The Warrior football team went farther than anyone thought they would back in August, bringing home plaques naming them league co-champions, district champions, bi-district champions, and runners-up in the regional contest. That's a pretty healthy number of awards by my count. Congratulations, youngsters, you did well!
One of the best parts of all of this is that after a decade or two, we finally have some athletes with real bragging rights. A part of me wishes that they could just skip ahead a few years and become coffee shop jocks tomorrow. My, how I would love that!
They could swagger in, medals clinking on their letter jackets, and take their place at the table — and I could drink my coffee in silence. The "Glory Days" guys (who no longer fit into their letter jackets, if they ever had them) would quit yammering on and on about themselves and "Coach Winforever" and some single game or shot or touchdown a dozen years before Peabody had paved streets or air.
We had an auction Sunday and we sold some old Peabody scorebooks. Talk about a revelation! I flipped through them while we were setting up the sale and I recognized quite a few names. Although many are charter members of the Korner Kitchen Sports Hall of Fame, none except Ron Slaymaker went on to any career that even vaguely resembled sports. I didn't notice any stellar seasons. There were no notes in the margins about outstanding talent, no college coaches' home phone numbers, no astronomical statistics.
Hmmmm — perhaps all that sports yammering is just so much hooey. If so, it would logically follow (in my most humble opinion) that all that Monday morning analysis, examination, and dissection of sporting events also could be just so much hooey. Gee, whaddya' think?
Here is what I think. You go, kids! Enjoy these days and what you have earned. You busted your tail feathers to get those awards. Make the most of it. If a college will pay you to run, shoot, punt, or tackle, and you want to do it, go for it. But get your education and move on.
Then, at some point, pack it away.
When your letter jacket no longer fits and your daughter can outscore you in any quarter, it is time to shut up about yourself, your glory days, and "Coach Winforever." Drink your coffee in silence.
Enjoy it while you've got it, but recognize the world of fleeting fame.
— SUSAN MARSHALL
