Virtue in athletics
I personally witnessed something very amazing over the past four months. I believe many of us have concern about where athletics is taking some of our young people. Much of professional sports is plagued with greed, selfishness and a “win-at-any cost” attitude.
Athletics is about virtue, discipline, perseverance, self-mastery, Christian example and learning to work with others. These are all qualities the Good God wants us to develop, which are supposed to spill over into all other areas of our lives. Winning is “just” a byproduct from doing it for the right reason.
Well, the Providence girls’ high school basketball team is a great example of this. Not blessed with the greatest talent, they grew and developed in all the qualities above. They won close game after close game with exemplary teamwork and a refreshing joy in their demeanor, as they marched to a record of 27-0 before losing in the state championship game. But if one was to observe the post-game festivities, you would wonder if Providence was victorious, as all the girls had smiles on their faces as they congratulated the other team.
The ultimate truth is that they were victorious. They had grown as a team to learn that virtue is the pinnacle of all human action and achievement – especially in sports. If one strives to live and model virtue, one must foster a certain detachment from the outcome.
“Hats off” to the Providence girls and coaches!
Peter D. KuhlmanPonte Vedra Beach
