It is hard enough to hear about stories of interscholastic sporting events that turn sour, either in damage to property or in physical violence. But when division, prejudice, and ignorance prevent a sporting event from occurring in the first place, the offense is even more outrageous. News out of Houston reports the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) has denied membership to an Islamic School after a probe in which the school was basically asked to defend its religion (read the full story here).
While schools are wonderful places for learning in community, they can also serve to highlight differences: neighborhood, ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status. The beauty of interscholastic sports is that they create a safe, engaging, fun environment for children to interact with other young people whom they might not otherwise ever socialize.
Are we afraid? Afraid that when our daughter goes out on the softball field, she might admire the effort of someone of a different faith? Afraid that when our nephew jumps in the pool that he might be pushed to swim faster than he has ever swum by someone who prays in a different building? Afraid that when the next generation is on the soccer field, they might see their opponents as equals, rather than “other,” “bad,” or “wrong”?
At Play Like a Champion Today ™, we whole-heartedly endorse that there is a place for faith in sports, but we believe that faith is meant to be a place of unity, understanding, and peace, rather than of exclusion. It is a shame that an institution such as TAPPS would put differences above commonalities when determining the status of the school that applied for membership.
In a time when we are aware of the healing that our world needs, we know that hope for our future lies in our children. Let us not show them an example of division, but of love, companionship, and peace. And let us do that in the classroom, on the field, and in the boardroom.
