More Than a Game

More Than a Game

“Sometimes there are things more important than a game.” That was the first sentence from the TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH’S account from Tuesday night’s ETCA volleyball game. Some of you have been keeping up with the team and asking me about how they are doing. For those of you who have not, full disclosure: my oldest daughter, Haleigh, is a high school junior and plays on the team. They have had a great season going 10-0 in district and 23-2 in the regular season. Those 23 wins included wins over public schools; the two losses were to larger public school programs.

Entering the playoffs this week we had high expectations. Tuesday night we were all brought back to reality in our match with Cedar Park Summit Christian Academy out of Austin.

The night began on an exciting note. The game was at ETCA’s new gym and it was packed. Fans have driven in from Austin, and many supporters came from Tyler, including friends from outside ETCA.

The atmosphere was electric and the match reflected it. ETCA won the first 25-20. Summit, behind their outstanding six-foot-one junior, Nells Meighan, came back and won the second game 25-22. The third game was tied 18-18. Both teams were playing well and with great intensity, but the intensity betrayed all on the fight for the nineteenth point.

Morgan Ashbreck, ETCA’s outstanding setter, dove for a ball headed out of bounds and hit her head on the court. What followed appeared to be the worst injury that I have ever seen in sports, either live or on TV. Although I did look at my watch, I did not officially keep track of time. I’m guessing that over thirty minutes before Morgan was finally transported into the ambulance.

As you might imagine, our volleyball team was emotionally devastated by what happened to their friend and teammate. The crowd was stunned and quiet. I found out later that while was outside the building at the ambulance, the crowd was led in public prayer by ETCA administrator, Mike Gravois.

Somewhere during this time, the ETCA girls decided they must go to the hospital and support Morgan. They understood it would mean a forfeit, but with the threat that Morgan’s injury could be critical or even life-threatening, she became their priority.

During this time, the administration and fans of Summit made a decision reflecting incredible grace. Having driven four or five hours to Tyler, and having fought so hard for victory, they were certainly entitled to victory by forfeit. However, they chose postponement. If the ETCA girls chose to resume play, the match would pick up at 19-18 in the third game.

Amazingly, at approximately 12:30 AM on Wednesday morning, Morgan Ashbreck walked out of ETMC under her own power. She had suffered a concussion. She needed a couple of staples on a nasty cut, and she would need a lot of sleep and rest, but a CAT Scan revealed that she was ultimately going to be okay.

Two days ago, our girls voted to travel to Summit’s school gym and play. They knew that the odds were stacked against them. Losing Morgan was like a basketball team losing an outstanding point guard. She was an excellent leader and she was amazing at setting up her teammates for “kill” shots.

I’m still learning when it comes to volleyball. I had no idea how disorienting it is for a team to change setters in the playoffs. They had learned to know, with precision, where each individual would be in any given moment. When there was an exception, they had learned how to communicate with each other under duress in order to execute the save or organize for a counter-attack. Because of these challenges, the girls could have conceded the loss and save themselves a long trip.

However, they chose a different course. They chose to offer God their very best. They chose to honor Morgan, their coach, Summit, and each other by competing. Yesterday (Thursday), at 5:30, the ETCA girls lost the third game, and then they lost the fourth. But they played their best. They played with effort; they played with joy. They competed. They left everything on the court.

Cedar Park Summit Christian Academy won a well-deserved victory. They could have taken the easy way out, but they chose otherwise. They honored God by their effort and by their spirit.

During the season, I began to feel that ETCA had a very special volleyball team and would travel deep into the TAPPS playoffs. I still think they have a special team; it’s just that outcome I was not expecting demonstrated this fact to me. I believe TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH’s reporter, Travis Yoesting was right, “Sometimes there are things more important than a game.”

Five things I think I think (a tip of the hat to Peter King for this idea)

1. Speaking of events you do not expect, what a terrible year for OU quarterback Sam Bradford. I am so sorry he had to get hurt. Still, I think his testimony (see last week’s blog) is even stronger today that it was one week ago.

2. BALLOON BOY—a hoax? I am stunned. Surely not in today’s world!

3. My middle daughter, Abby, did me a favor last Saturday night. She asked me to take her and a friend to BARNES AND NOBLE for a couple of hours of coffee drinking (decaf for her and her friend) and browsing. Immediately, she and her friend abandoned me to do their own thing, and I had a great time checking out the new books. Next time Judy and the kids abandon me for a few hours, I think I’m heading over B & N.

4. Saw TENDER MERCIES last week for the first time in a quarter century. I appreciate it a lot more now than I did in college. And I was reminded, yet, again of what an exceptional actor Robert Duvall is. He did his own singing in TENDER MERCIES—no wonder he won the Oscar. After seeing him play a consigliore in the GODFATHER, a cowboy in LONESOME DOVE, a Pentecostal preacher in THE APOSTLE, and a washed-up country singer in TENDER MERCIES, and, yes, Will Ferrell’s father in KICKING AND SCREAMING, has there ever been a better actor in America than Robert Duvall?

5. I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at our reunion fellow classmates of WHS 1979.

Have a Great Weekend!