craigdailypress.com

To the editor:

Hats off to you, Coach Hafey, for providing a life lesson to your football squad, students, staff, coaches and community members.

I believe it is admirable that you have inspired others to place value and care towards the young men of Ridge View Academy. It is my hope that it does not stop there.

We have students and athletes right here in Craig that need to know “that they do have people that care about them, that they are as valuable as anyone else and that we are proud of them for their work.”

They may not be the student who has achieved academic awards, rather the student who sits in class day in and day out struggling to make sense of the subject that is being presented to them, only to find themselves being called stupid.

They may not be the athlete who gets their name in the paper every week, rather the athlete who attends every practice and gives 100 percent effort, only to find themselves with no playing time or being cut from the team.

They may not be the actor who has landed the lead role in the high school production, rather, the person who decided to step “outside the box” and audition, only to find others laughing at their effort.

Many children who turn to drugs and/or alcohol or other dangerous choices make that choice for one simple reason – 100 percent, unconditional acceptance by other peers who are making the same poor choices.

Wouldn’t it be noteworthy if that same acceptance and power of unconditional love could be found for those who may not be the smartest, fastest, talented student/athlete?

Not only would this create a season to remember, it would produce a legacy to be proud of.

Trish Snyder