Saturday, October 9, 2010

I’ve never understood why some feel the need to cheat. As an athlete, I always adhered to the premise that there is no true victory in an ill-gotten win. I’ve maintained that philosophy throughout my life.

This afternoon, I watched my youngest son at his soccer game and was impressed by how well he and his teammates handled themselves while faced with players from the other team who seemed to think the only way to play was to cheat.

Was that taught to them? Is it in their nature? Could it be a combination of the two? Whatever the reason, I just don’t understand it. Never have. Hope I never will, for I believe that understand the why would mean to adopt their mindset. I’m not the least bit comfortable with that.

My son and his teammates didn’t allow the other player’s cheating to get to them, at least not in a negative way, which would have proven distracting. Instead, they enabled what the other players were doing to strengthen their resolve so that they could play their best game. In the end, my son’s team won 4-0. And I believe it’s a victory they’ll remember. Not because they won, but because of the life lesson taught during it.

There will always be others whose cheating and less-than-scrupulous ways will infringe on our lives. Really, there’s nothing we can do to stop them. But we’re not powerless, for we have the ability to rise above their cheating. To use their negative efforts to empower not defeat us. That’s what my son and his teammates did in today’s game, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.