The weather has turned warm again and the night was beautiful, clear sky, beautiful sunset, and the fans from both towns filled the stands and the sidelines. The visitors brought two buses, a little intimidating. I think they brought every player from the JV team as well as the Varsity because their team had twice the number of players than we had. Again, intimidating. And, there were a lot of big, hefty guys. We have a few that can match up but most of our players are tall but trim. But what they lack in weight, they make it up in fortitude, focus and strength.
The 9 or 10 seniors on the team have played in almost every sport and every activity at school together since they were 5 or 6. A tight group. When I think of them going off on their own into this crazy world I get a knot in my stomach.
Our school is a community school, comprised of Preschool from ages 3 to the Senior High. About 400 students. And everyone knows everyone. My guess is that one third of those students come from the surrounding countryside, many from farms. Families whose grandfathers and great grandfathers farmed the very land they farm today. In my opinion, one of the reasons our small school is so great.
When I was in school, I was involved in everything possible, drama, speech, vocal music, instrumental music, track, cheerleading, newspaper. And if they would have had gymnastics, dance team, mentoring, etc., which they now offer, I would have been involved in those, too. Yes, we are a small town without many work opportunities for young people and the drive to the nearest city is 20 minutes. I actually consider this a blessing.
In this picture of the band at half time, there are cheerleaders and first team football players, who rather than resting during half time, pick up their drums and flags and jump into position. Dedicated young people who believe they can do it all, and they do.
I consider almost every student that comes out of our high school outstanding young adults with a variety of skills and talents that many, many youth in large schools do not have the opportunity to expand and improve upon. They are leaders, young people who are bright, hard working, responsible and above all, nice people.
No matter the outcome of these games, everyone is proud of the effort of everyone involved from the water boys to the band teacher who organizes 6 am practices for the flag girls. Our school has always been blessed to have teachers and others who go the extra mile to make sure the students get the most they can out their school experience. If a student doesn't get involved and feels like there is nothing there for them to be involved in, well, it's hard for me to place blame on the school.
Unfortunately, I know of young adults who went through school feeling this way. They have had a difficult time finding their place in the world.
Today's small schools have so many more opportunities that they had when I was in school. I think
that's the way it is supposed to be, making changes and improvements to help students learn what they need to navigate as adults. These lessons are better learned in a small school. In my opinion...
