Winning at All Costs Is the Wrong Lesson for High School Teams

News item: “Westlake High has forfeited a baseball victory over Thousand Oaks because a player who had been ejected in the Warriors’ previous game was in the dugout, a violation of Southern Section rules. First baseman Garett Michaels . . . was in street clothes during Westlake’s 3-1 Marmonte League victory over Thousand Oaks.”

-Times Ventura County Edition

Sports, May 11

This situation is so very heartbreaking to me. Over the years, there have been many mistakes made throughout the Conejo Valley in regard to our sports teams, and many more will be made in the future. There have been many accusations of wrongdoing by “the other guys.” Many sad things have happened over the years. But the only people truly hurt by all this have been the students.

Now, once again, something has happened that only hurts the students. However, this time it could have been avoided by a coach.

First the facts: First baseman Garett Michaels should not have been in attendance after he had been ejected from the previous game, because that is the rule. Westlake Coach Chuck Berrington should have known the rule, because he is the coach. And Joseph Pawlick should have informed the coach, because he is the athletic director and should have known the rule. All the blame belongs to Westlake High School and no one else.

The mistakes were made and the price must be paid because “Westlake has to follow the rules like everyone else.” Thank you, Coach Bill Sizemore of the Thousand Oaks High School baseball team, for this enlightening statement.

No one on the Westlake side apparently was aware of this rule. This is not meant to be an excuse, just a fact. No one was trying to get away with anything, and Michaels’ being on the bench didn’t affect the outcome of the game. However, “Ignorance is no excuse.” Thank you, Coach Sizemore, for yet another enlightening statement.

Now, here is the problem that really concerns me:

We are supposed to be educating our students, and I would like to know what Coach Sizemore was trying to teach his players by not pointing out the violation before the game, when he noticed it.

How about “win at all costs”? It seems that he was the only person on the field who knew the rule. And he wasn’t required to tell Westlake but he knew throughout the game that no matter what, win or lose on the field, his team would get credit for the win.

This is a moral issue.

The teams in question are high school teams. The job of our high schools is to ready our young people for life as adult members of our society. Do we really want to teach them to think that winning at all costs is the answer? Or should we be teaching fair play, compassion and concern for the other person?

If we have the power to prevent someone from making a major error, one that could have serious repercussions on that person’s future, shouldn’t we be more concerned with what is best for the other than with the victory?

Our society is plagued with self-centered, destructive behaviors and is lacking in compassion and consideration. Maybe educators should take every opportunity to correct this.

I fear that the failure is on the heads of the adults who didn’t think far enough ahead to anticipate the feelings of the students. School rivalry is normal. However, in light of the teenage angst witnessed across the country, this rivalry should not be perpetuated by the adults. We should be the peacemakers, leading our students to discover positive solutions to life’s struggles and competitions.