RSS Feed
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Taking Names and Keeping Score
As for me, it has always been participating in, coaching or watching sports. Many years ago it was all about playing sports and I did, enjoying everything from the big three, football, basketball and baseball, to trying my hand at some of the more individually centered games such as golf, tennis, and even bowling. In all cases, regardless of the level of my proficiency, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I then graduated to coaching the team sports and spending what playing time I had on those games like golf and tennis with an occasional bowling trip worked in now and then. As time has moved on and my age has moved right along with it, my time spent coaching has become somewhat less, although I still do some, and more of my time has been spent watching. That is particularly true now that I have begun this second career of covering and writing about sports. In this stage of my life I do still find time to play golf occasionally but haven't played tennis in years and can't remember the last time I went bowling. At any rate, I am sure you understand when it comes to hobbies mine is still sports and although time has changed the way I enjoy them and the level to which I participate; my passion for and love of the game is still there. With all that said let me change gears and move into the real crux of what I wanted to say today. This past weekend, while pursuing my hobby and watching Thomasville High School's varsity baseball team play a double header over in Andalusia, I had the opportunity to learn a little bit more than normal about a member of one of the teams the Tigers were playing. The young man's name was Mikey Tompkins and he was a senior pitcher for his team. Although I never got to see him play, I know Mikey and I had several things in common. One of those is a passion for and love of the game of baseball. He, like me, was also one who believed in that old expression, "persistence pays off." And without a doubt, like me, he was an optimist rather than a pessimist. The reason I am so sure about this is because of what fans of Mikey's high school told me about him. It seems this young man loved the game so much and wanted to play baseball for his high school so badly that he continued to try out for the team his senior year even after trying out and failing to make the squad as a sophomore and junior. As you might guess his persistence paid of and finally as a senior his dream was realized. To make things even better he and his teammates got off to a great start winning their first six games without suffering even one defeat. But things changed in an instant on March 1, for Mikey and his Enterprise teammates as a deadly tornado ripped through their high school leaving in its path a demolished school and eight high school students including Mikey who lost their life in the storm. On that day, life as we know it here on this earth, stopped for Mikey and at least for a while seemed to stand still for his teammates and fellow students. But as we all know time doesn't stand still and life among the living must move on with it. It is in that knowledge that those in that community who were left to pick up the pieces have grieved over the loss of their friends but have begun the arduous process of moving on. Included in that group are Mikey's teammates who are now back playing again but who wear a black arm band with the number 19 on it to remind them of him and his commitment to them. That arm band also serves another purpose as well and that is to remind them and the rest of us just how precious life is and how none of us should take it for granted. For like a vapor, it can be here one moment and gone the next. Until next time.......be safe! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
