School Spirit Starts at Home
There is something different about the beginning of an athletic season. The football field has fresh paint. Volleyballs start echoing through the gym. Golfers are somewhere quietly trying to shave three strokes off their game while pretending the last putt did not happen. Cross-country runners are voluntarily running several miles in the Arkansas heat—a decision that continues to raise questions about their judgment but leaves no doubt about their toughness. The beginning of a new season brings excitement, expectations, and possibility. Every team is undefeated. Every athlete believes this could be the year. Every coach has a plan. And every fan is certain that the officials are already plotting against us. It is a great time of year. Football, volleyball, golf, and cross country may look very different, but the athletes participating in them have something important in common: when they compete, they represent more than themselves. They represent their families. They represent t...