Sportsmanship is one of those things that you can't always define what it is, but you certainly can describe what it isn't. This weekend I witnessed sportsmanship in a manner that should remind us of not only what it means to be an athlete but also what it means to be a decent human being.
When a play is over oftentimes there is some smack talk between players or boasting about what was just accomplished. Most of it is in good fun, jabs at each other, and a way to psyche up or psyche out. Fans even get involved sometimes.
But when one of the players is lying motionless out in the middle of the field, there isn't a scarier moment in all of football. Especially if you're a parent in the stands trying to see the number on the jersey.
Unfortunately, we've been reminded of this a lot lately. Karns City's Mason Martin is still unconscious in a hospital bed a month ago after being life-flighted away from the game. The following week, Jersey Shore's Max Engle and Oil City's Hayden Wilson were both flown from their games on stretchers in two separate instances. Wilson, thankfully, was back on the field playing against Meadville. Engle, sadly passed away a few days later.
On Friday, Franklin's Sam Wimer was there lying motionless in the middle of the field during the game against Warren. His mother Amy said she was told he was initially unconscious. "We were terrified," she said. But before he left the field he was conscious, knew exactly where he was and even answered questions correctly, according to Franklin coach Matt Turk.
But there was no question he needed to be checked out. So a stretcher was brought onto the field to take Wimer to a nearby hospital.
In response to the situation, the Warren team, coaches and cheerleaders lined up, and raised their helmets and pom-poms in the air to salute their opponent as he left the field. "It was such a lovely gesture," Amy said. As she walked off the field with Franklin's athletic director Becky Barnes they both thanked the team for their caring attitude and sportsmanship.
The Warren Dragons haven't won a game all season and were getting trounced again by the Knights, but they weren't going to let this player leave the field without all the positive energy they could give him.
I witnessed another bit of sportsmanship take place near the end of the night.
Late in the game, with the score 35-0, Franklin intercepted a pass and was running it back towards the end zone when Alex Wible did what is instinctive on a football field, he lowered a shoulder on a player putting him on his back.
The referees flagged him and negated the touchdown. Turk said the refs claimed Wible targeted the player in an unsportsmanlike way. Wible was beside himself on the sideline and you could see in his face and body language he was sorry for what happened in a split-second judgment in the heat of battle.
At the end of the game, Wible wanted to own his actions and express his regrets to his opponents,
"Alex profusely apologized to Warren and he apologized to the young man," Turk said. "He was distraught. But I'll tell you (his apology) shows his leadership as a captain and as a mature young man. He did not mean to hurt that player."
The two met at midfield, shook hands, talked and even hugged.
When a play is over oftentimes there is some smack talk between players or boasting about what was just accomplished. Most of it is in good fun, jabs at each other, and a way to psyche up or psyche out. Fans even get involved sometimes.
But when one of the players is lying motionless out in the middle of the field, there isn't a scarier moment in all of football. Especially if you're a parent in the stands trying to see the number on the jersey.
Unfortunately, we've been reminded of this a lot lately. Karns City's Mason Martin is still unconscious in a hospital bed a month ago after being life-flighted away from the game. The following week, Jersey Shore's Max Engle and Oil City's Hayden Wilson were both flown from their games on stretchers in two separate instances. Wilson, thankfully, was back on the field playing against Meadville. Engle, sadly passed away a few days later.
On Friday, Franklin's Sam Wimer was there lying motionless in the middle of the field during the game against Warren. His mother Amy said she was told he was initially unconscious. "We were terrified," she said. But before he left the field he was conscious, knew exactly where he was and even answered questions correctly, according to Franklin coach Matt Turk.
But there was no question he needed to be checked out. So a stretcher was brought onto the field to take Wimer to a nearby hospital.
In response to the situation, the Warren team, coaches and cheerleaders lined up, and raised their helmets and pom-poms in the air to salute their opponent as he left the field. "It was such a lovely gesture," Amy said. As she walked off the field with Franklin's athletic director Becky Barnes they both thanked the team for their caring attitude and sportsmanship.
The Warren Dragons haven't won a game all season and were getting trounced again by the Knights, but they weren't going to let this player leave the field without all the positive energy they could give him.
I witnessed another bit of sportsmanship take place near the end of the night.
Late in the game, with the score 35-0, Franklin intercepted a pass and was running it back towards the end zone when Alex Wible did what is instinctive on a football field, he lowered a shoulder on a player putting him on his back.
The referees flagged him and negated the touchdown. Turk said the refs claimed Wible targeted the player in an unsportsmanlike way. Wible was beside himself on the sideline and you could see in his face and body language he was sorry for what happened in a split-second judgment in the heat of battle.
At the end of the game, Wible wanted to own his actions and express his regrets to his opponents,
"Alex profusely apologized to Warren and he apologized to the young man," Turk said. "He was distraught. But I'll tell you (his apology) shows his leadership as a captain and as a mature young man. He did not mean to hurt that player."
The two met at midfield, shook hands, talked and even hugged.
A third bit of good sportsmanship from the weekend came at the end of the Meadville versus Oil City game on Saturday where tempers were, at times, bubbling toward the boiling point. The Bulldogs were way up on the Oilers in the last minute of the game as Meadville's Brighton Anderson had a long pass play and a clear path to the end zone. He could've walked in, padded his stat sheet and added to the already lopsided score, but instead took a knee at the one.
This was not only selfless, but it potentially prevented any other possible injury on an ensuing kickoff and last plays of the game. Instead, the Bulldogs just took another knee and ran out the clock.
Three examples of life lessons learned from watching team sports.
Why is this important to share?
Because in a day and age where winning is heralded above most things, it is often important to stop and acknowledge lessons we can all learn.
An entire team showed us what community means as they supported their opponent and his family during a scary time.
We all do things we regret and are afraid to face. Friday night a teenager acted like an adult to apologize to an entire team, the coaches and his fellow athlete.
And Saturday a player had the wherewithal to say 'I'm not going to rub salt in your wounds" and took a knee even though it will go down as one less touchdown in his career.
None of these things will make it into the historical record of any of these games. But hopefully witnessing and experiencing these moments will have a lasting impression that will help us all become better sportsmen and better people all around.
This was not only selfless, but it potentially prevented any other possible injury on an ensuing kickoff and last plays of the game. Instead, the Bulldogs just took another knee and ran out the clock.
Three examples of life lessons learned from watching team sports.
Why is this important to share?
Because in a day and age where winning is heralded above most things, it is often important to stop and acknowledge lessons we can all learn.
An entire team showed us what community means as they supported their opponent and his family during a scary time.
We all do things we regret and are afraid to face. Friday night a teenager acted like an adult to apologize to an entire team, the coaches and his fellow athlete.
And Saturday a player had the wherewithal to say 'I'm not going to rub salt in your wounds" and took a knee even though it will go down as one less touchdown in his career.
None of these things will make it into the historical record of any of these games. But hopefully witnessing and experiencing these moments will have a lasting impression that will help us all become better sportsmen and better people all around.
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