Recently, we had an unfortunate incident at one of our interscholastic athletic events off campus. Without getting into details, this incident has caused some concern on how we must conduct ourselves as a community at athletic events—from Modified to Varsity. When I say community, I mean all of us—coaches, players, parents, and all fans.
Being on a sports team is not a right; it is a privilege and that can never be forgotten. In an age of entitlement, we must never forget the lessons that sports teach all of us. It teaches us, among other things, values that we hope our children carry with them as they become adults. The value of hard work, discipline, sportsmanship, and integrity are just a few things we learn from our participation in sports.
At the Central Valley Central School District, we must always remember that we as a community represent so much more than ourselves. We represent what we want from our kids. We want them to be successful and contributing members to society.
Therefore, I ask all of you to be the best version of yourselves at our athletic events and beyond. We compete and we strive to win, but in the end some of our greatest victories come from prior losses. If you see someone yelling at an official, don't join in—ask them to stop. If you see or hear someone being abusive to other coaches, players or fans—be the solution and don't make the problem worse.
I have been a part of this area and district for over 30 years. I have proudly taught and coached some amazing people—some of who are now parents to the athletes that play sports at our school now. We have come a long way from those days but we must never forget our roots of what made us proud to live here and be a part of something that sets the foundation for young people's lives.
Jim Mott
Director of Athletics-CVCSD