Opinion
What’s the point?
Published
3 years agoon
Posted By
AdminBy Al Malinowski EBS Columnist
NFL Hall of Fame Coach Bill Parcells is known for having famously stated, “You are what your record says you are.” Many sports fans likely agree with Coach Parcells. After all, sports are played to determine who’s the winner and who’s the loser, while those moral victories won’t show up in the standings.
Every once in a while, a team comes along whose chemistry does not fit that narrative. This year, the Lima High School boys basketball team has been establishing themselves as deserving of respect, but not because of their record.
The bus trip to Big Sky from Lima is roughly 200 miles. Lima is located near the Montana-Idaho border, and unless you’re lost, there are not many reasons someone leaving Big Sky would pass through Lima on their way to anywhere.
Last Spring, Lima’s high school reported an enrollment of 20 total students to the Montana High School Association. For the sake of comparison, Lone Peak High School claimed 109. However, Lima is an example of the resiliency present in so many small Montana towns, that take great pride in maintaining their local school district and their school’s athletic programs.
The 2020-21 Lima Bears boy’s roster includes five players: five starters, zero subs. If all goes well, each player will play the entire 32 minutes in each basketball game the Bears take the court for. Should anyone get injured or foul out, the team is forced to finish the game short-handed. The Lima basketball team has experienced playing five-on-four several times this season. In some cases, after establishing a commanding lead, their opponents have agreed to remove one player from the action and compete four-against-four.
In the classic movie, Hoosiers, actor Gene Hackman coaches the rural Hickory Huskers basketball team of eight players to the Indiana State Championship. More locally, the outstanding novel by Stanley Gordon West, Blind Your Ponies, follows the Willow Creek High School basketball team of six players to the Montana State Championship. The teams in those stories experienced playing games short-handed, similar to the Lima Bears. Proving that reality is less forgiving than fiction however, the Lima Bears team has yet to win a game this season.
The Lima players certainly understood the challenge they faced when they decided to embark on the season. Unlike the athletes on other high school teams, who likely start the season assessing potential wins on their schedule or jockeying for playing time, the Bears had to realistically wonder if they could make it through the season. Could they win a game was a more appropriate question than how many.
However, the members of the Lima boys basketball team share one important trait with other successful basketball players: their desire to win. One has to admire a team that ignores overwhelming obstacles and finds a way to compete each night.
While I was selfishly pleased it didn’t come against our Lone Peak Big Horns this past weekend, I know I join many opposing fans and even some officials who secretly hope the Bears find a way to earn a victory this season. But if that elusive win doesn’t come, the team can take solace in the words of an 8-time NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Coach, the late Pat Summit of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, who believed, “Winning is fun, sure. But winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never letting up is the point. Never being satisfied with what you’ve done is the point.”
Win or lose, I believe the Lima Bears have made their point.
Al Malinowski has lived in Big Sky for over 25 years. He has coached middle school and high school basketball at the Big Sky School District for 22 of those years. He believes participation in competitive athletics has been critical in establishing his core values.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
more
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Event Details
Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Time
(Thursday) 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm