Victory at Last

I'm not much for bragging, never had too many chances... Always been too smart to be a moron and too dumb to be a geek, my athleticism has always been hampered by a little thing known as lack of skill... So on the rare occassion that I can brag, I guess I'll take the opportunity... Of course it's not about me, it's about the kids and a lesson we could all sometimes probably use a refresher course on...

Setting the scene:

Imagine a kickball game (not soccer, kickball with the rubberball played with baseball rules) where the rivalry has lasted between me and the 4th grade teacher for 3 years now... Imagine being on my end of the rivalry. My team is smaller, slower, less cordinated, smaller in number, less experienced and (here's the worst) morale flatened becuase we always lose... I've won once in 3 years and that was only becuase the high school boys came and helped us out, so that really dosen't count (Thanks Julian and David). We've been blown out the water. We've even came close. But just couldn't pull it out to win... That is... Until today =0Þ

Surviving The Situation:

Bottom of the 9th. We need 5 to tie, 6 to win. We've reached the power part of the line-up. Arianna kicks the ball and makes it to first. Daniel kicks the ball, Arianna reaches 3rd, Daniel 2nd. Kennedy kicks the ball gets to first Arianna scores Daniel is stuck at second (15-11). Alexis kicks the ball and it is barely dropped everyone advances a base. My kick. I kick the ball, everyone scores, but I get stuck at 3rd. (15-14). I think Madison is a good kicker, she kicks the ball. Pop fly out. 1 away. Michias is also a pretty good kicker, he'll make it all I need to do is make it home. I'd settle for a tie. Drilled shot back at the pitcher. Caught. 2 outs. I'm beside myself. I cannot believe this. Then Samrawit gets up to bat. Now she doesn't really like to play kickball and the other students never help the situation much by yelling at her when something goes wrong. So she shuffled up to the plate and several thoughts run through my head. On one hand, I know I'd be proud of her for doing something she's not good at for the sake of the team, she is a trooper. On the other hand, I'd rather not have the fate of the game resting on her right foot either. Afterall, I'm the tieing run and I've been sitting at 3rd base for two outs now. Unforuneately, the side of being upset was winning. I'm pacing, jumping up and down, doing everything I can to keep calm when I hear the phrase, "Man... Samrawit's up. We're going to lose now." and then I hear the collective agreement of everyone else. 1st pitch, she kicked foul. "Why'd you do that?" her classmates yelled. 2nd pitch. Foul. (you only get 3 fouls in kickball). By now the principal has come out to watch. Out of nervous anxiety I call time and relay the situation to everyone that I am the tieing run and the winning run is kicking. I remind everyone to be quiet and tell Samrawit to just get to first. 3rd pitch. It came straight back at the pitcher who was not ready for it. She dropped it. I score (15-15). Samrawit makes it to 1st. Jevonne kicks next. He drills the ball straight back past 2nd. Samrawit goes for second as the ball is being tossed to the base, the 2nd baseman misses the ball so she runs for 3rd, meanwhile Jevonne, being the over-zealous little kid that he is, is heading towards 2nd where the ball is. The second baseman seems him and chases him back to 1st. Samrawit sees where the ball is and runs home and scores (15-16). We win... Take that Mr. Brandenburg...

Solidifying the Scruples:

Hopefully my kids learned two lessons today.

1. You never know when you'll win.

2. Never quit, you might be the winner.

You see, from where I stand, I've accepted the fact that most of the time, I'm going to lose. I've been trying to teach my 3rd graders that losing really isn't that bad. I mean we are playing a superior team with more experience, but should we give up? No, never. We will occasionally/rarely win. If you are part of a team, you just might be the winning ingredient of the team, just like Samrawit, the little girl everyone yelled at and didn't want to play. She has become the class hero. But knowing my students that will probably last until we play the 4th graders again tomorrow. But for now... I'm posting this tonight...

Have A Nice Day
--Topher Myers