Making tough choices

This is going to be a difficult column to write, because I know I am going to offend some people.  Well, maybe not offend, but I know some of you are going to disagree with me, and that’s ok.
Yes, I am going to be expressing my opinion, but hopefully, I will also be giving you something to talk about.  Who knows, some of you may even agree with me.

Two things happened this past week, and here we are several days later, and I am still dumbfounded by them.  Well, at the very least confused.  In both cases, I disagree with either the action taken, or the planned action.

About two Saturday afternoon, I received a text message from Pocahontas baseball coach Eric Housh, who was with his ball club at a tournament in Harrison.  Coach Housh wrote, “Beat Quitman 25-1, and beat Stillwell, Okla., 7-0.   Playing championship at 5:30 against Elkins, all of the starters have gone to prom.”

I was struck by the last sentence.  The starters have left?  It amazed me players would leave a tournament before the completion to go to prom.  To my way of thinking, and I readily admit I may be in the minority here, why in the world would you desert your team for prom.

I was always taught, if you sign up for activity, whether it is baseball, Interact Cub, Chess Club or whatever, you are making a commitment to not only be a part of that activity, but you are also making a commitment to be there when physically able.  Sure there are times when you are sick or there is a family emergency when you can’t be there.  I understand that.  But I don’t see this as one of those times.

By skipping out on a game to go to another activity, you are telling your teammates that your desires as an individual, are more important than the good of the team.  Can you imagine someone saying, “Sorry guys, would love to stick around for the championship game, but, I have to go to this other function.  Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you.”  What kind of message is that?

Let me emphasize at this point I am only picking on prom because that is what was scheduled this past Saturday night.  I would point out something else if that was what was going on.

I know the guys who went all have girlfriends and they didn’t want to let them down, and that is noble, but life’s not fair.   But understand for the rest of your life you are going to have scheduling conflicts, so might as well get used to it.

It is too bad prom and the baseball tournament were scheduled at the same time.  That is unfortunate, and maybe better communication could have avoided it.  I don’t know.

I just think if you make a commitment to an activity, and baseball, football, basketball, track, tennis, golf, whatever the sport, is a commitment, then you need to honor that commitment, even though it may cause you to miss out on another event that you feel is equally important.

Again, I realize I may be in the minority in my thinking, and I totally respect those who have a differing view.   There is no easy answer.