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Teammates in the big game of life

On the battlefields of sports, teams are forged in many ways. Sometimes there is a playbook issued, but often it is simply seeing the field and doing your job that wins or loses a momentary skirmish.

The same old military cliches pop up again and again when observing and also participating in teamwork at all stages of life. I am thankful I have never had to depend on the greatest of comrades in a live gunfight during times of conflict. Hats off to every veteran alive, and especially to those who gave all.

The closest thing to an explosion you will hear on the courts of play will come from full-swing efforts. It could be a monster collision on the gridiron, the crack of the bat at the ballpark, a soccer player’s foot launching the leather toward the net, someone securing a rebound on the hardwood, a kill shot spike in volleyball, the golf club making contact at the tee, a crowd around a pool screaming for a victory in the water, a packed gymnasium applauding a cheer squad showdown, or the pistol shot starting the girls and boys of spring off for a track and field event.

Some of the best noises out there come from our local marching bands, dressed in their school colors while staying in formation. Many times they perform in muddy conditions and march with their equipment in tow. The band and the cheerleaders have a special power they can use to engage the fans in attendance.

Whether it be a conductor or a coach, the trainers, assistant coaches or others, they are out there working to execute the play properly.

Sports can build confidence in young athletes, and confidence means everything in life. However, there’s a fine line between being confident and forgetting to be thankful.

The main sport — the one we call life — has us all bouncing around and moving fast as we can. It of course does not matter if you have ever played a sport or not, we were all born into the main event as humans. It is hard sometimes to deal with so much that life tosses at us.

As life presses us in so many different directions, remember to be kind to your fellow teammates as we juggle our way along our paths.

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