The Good Samaritan

I just love it when good things happen to good people! With so many negative things happening in the world, we tend to fixate on the drama and create more unfavorable things in our lives. This pessimistic aura weaved in our society has been magnified with social media, so much so, I have to purge myself from it. So when an uplifting story comes along I try to grab ahold of it and savor its’ positivity.

Just this past week, Tommy Henry, was named the 2016 Gatorade Michigan Baseball Player of the Year. This Portage Northern student-athlete is not only a good (soon to be great) pitcher, but is a great person. How do I know this? I had the pleasure of not only coaching him in basketball in middle school, but I was able to observe him throughout his middle school years with his peers and how he conducted himself in and out of school. I can easily say, not once did he ever show an inkling of juvenile maturity. He always displayed maturity beyond his years, yet remained humble and steadfast on his goals.

In the world of sports the media publicizes and glamorizes the professional or student-athlete scandal stories. The allure of the troubled player is more intriguing than the humanitarian athlete and will garner more hits and posts on their websites. Mahatma Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Well, I want to change the common plot of the student-athlete and start to honor and appreciate them for more than their athletic accomplishments, but for their academic and altruistic exploits.

So thank you, Tommy Henry! Thank you for not only being a good (soon to be great) baseball player, but for being a great young man. You are a prime example of being more than your accolades. Keep up the good work!