Seize. The. Moment.

Published March 7, 2013

in the Stockton Sentinel

by Nancy Becker

            Today is the day! Today is the day the Stockton Tiger fans follow the Tiger Boys Basketball Team to Emporia to cheer for them in their first game of the State Tournament! We are always proud of all of our high school students in the many ways they excel in all they do, but this week we especially celebrate with the boys who have earned this opportunity.

            There are 346 high schools with a boys’ basketball team that are members of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. This week, only 56 of those teams are still competing, and our Stockton Tiger team is one of them. I’m not saying that to brag or gloat; I say that because we, as a community, have an opportunity in the here and now to step up our game, to put our best foot forward, to wear our colors and shout our name proudly. There is no better time or place or reason to polish our reputation than the opportunity at hand.

            So let’s not blow it; let’s seize the moment. May we all be the best we can be, on and off the court, showing the ultimate respect for our team and coaches, our opponents, and the officials. May we all be respectful of our hosts—the City of Emporia and White Auditorium—so that when we leave, they will have only good things to say about our having been there. May we win graciously and take success in stride; but if winning is not our good fortune, then let us all lose gracefully, holding our heads up and congratulating the winners.

            And to these boys, our Stockton Tigers, let us send them to Emporia with this message:  We are proud of you, not only as athletes working towards a goal, but also as fine young men who are representing our community in such grand fashion. We believe in you, and we want you to believe in yourselves and your abilities. You can do this… it’s inside of you; we’ve seen it in flashes. You can bring it out all the time if you work hard and stay focused. Most importantly, have fun—there are 290 other teams in the State of Kansas who would love to be in your basketball shoes.

            Stockton Tigers and fans:  Seize. The. Moment.