Its That Time of Year - The American Catholic High School Football Player and Pope Francis

I thought this was a nice column from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati newspaper.

 See Local prep athletes, remember the Pope’s words  . Whether its packed crowds watching Catholic High School Football teams in my part of Louisiana or elsewhere there are good words here. Here is a part of the piece ( read it all at the link )  :

The end of August and beginning of September means the fall sports season — particularly the high school football season — is here.
The lessons that sports can teach apply across all types of competition, including all of Ohio’s high school fall sports. Cross country can teach endurance and fortitude, golf can teach patience, tennis can teach focus, volleyball, soccer & field hockey can teach teamwork.  Football can teach all the same lessons, but for good or ill, it is the one played under the brightest lights and before the largest crowds.

High school football in this archdiocese far outdraws any other sport in fans and media attention, meaning that our Catholic school football players have the greatest opportunity to witness to their faith as athletes. While we’re known in the GCL and elsewhere for our successful teams, a message Pope Francis delivered recently to the Italian and Argentine soccer teams can speak to all athletes. It needs to be about more than winning.

“This is a social responsibility. Let me explain,” the Pope said. “In the game, when you are on the field, you find beauty, generosity, camaraderie. If a game is missing this, it loses its might, even if the team wins.”

The Pit at Elder will hold more than 10,000 fans on a given Friday night. Catholic Central’s Hallinean Field might have a smaller crowd. Whether you’re playing in the Crosstown Showdown, at home or on the road, the opposing teams will be looking at you, as a Catholic athlete, with the same scrutiny.

They may ask, “Do those Catholics play the game with beauty, generosity and camaraderie?” By doing so, you will live up to the Pope’s call of social responsibility for athletes.