Class Act

It’s so easy to see the bad side of high school sports when you are around it all the time.

We hear the parents rail against coaches and officials and are no longer shocked when kids, coaches or other adults use profanity. We hear horrible things said to referees and continue to wonder why anyone would continue to do the job.

But now and then something happens to remind us that things aren’t always so negative. The ninth week of the football season proved that as I watched Orange Lutheran and Calvary Chapel.

Calvary Chapel scored with 53 seconds left to go ahead, 24-23, and hung on to win when Orange Lutheran missed a 42-yard field goal attempt as time ran out.

After the players met at midfield to shake hands, an extraordinary thing happened. The Orange Lutheran players were met by about 300 parents, friends and other supporters, many of whom were standing and applauding the effort, win or lose.

I applaud them for it and dream of seeing it more often.