The Beauty Of Team Sports

On this week's opinion page, we're running Paul McCaw's "Burg" about football and team sports in general. He has an interesting perspective on these school activities, and though it's not ours, we welcome his candid view on the subject and his thought-provoking style. His writing and that of others in our community help make these pages a forum for healthy debate about local issues that affect us. There are many takes on team sports, and it's true that players, parents and communities can sometimes get a bit carried away in their focus on them, particularly when it comes to football. Even in the midst of one of the school's most exciting seasons, it's healthy to keep sports and the relative role they play in our lives in perspective. In as much as the Times emphasizes sports, we could be doing more to highlight the many other achievements among young people and will continue to strive for more balance in our coverage that way. There is, however, an aspect or two about team sports, or any sports for that matter, that make these activities more than just games that kids outgrow. The great advantage of the way sports are organized in our school districts and many parts of the country is their intimate connection to academic performance, self-confidence, resourcefulness and the development of constructive attitudes among students. Next week, for instance, the Times plans to run Managing Editor Dian McClurg's report on the impact of a new WP sports program on the lives of students from Vista Hermosa, many of whom brought up their GPAs from the mid 1s to the mid 2s and higher. If it hadn't been for the successful soccer program, their grades would probably still be in the tank. The young players' families take great pride in their kids' achievements, and the program helps integrate Prescott students much more effectively into the WP sports combine. Judging from the weekend pickup games in which Vista Hermosa men in their 40s and 50s participate, the Tigers will be probably be able to play soccer for many years come, even if it's just for recreation.

Football pickup games for adult men, too, are more common than the author of this week's Burg suggests, and many of the players engage in other sports, including individualized activities such as track and field. Cardinals' Quarterback Zach Bartlow, for instance, plays baseball in spring. Running back Kris Cady is a star track runner. Bulldogs defensive lineman Dain Henderson's other favorite sport is golf.

In an area like the Touchet Valley, you can bet many football players are equally adept at fishing, hunting, horseback riding and other individual recreational pursuits that will hopefully keep them from becoming couch potatoes.