Yes - another small rant here on a sunny Monday Morning in West Michigan, after a long weekend that was totally off-line.

I don’t get our whole fascination, as a culture, with sports - either at the local or professional level.

But you have to understand a bit more about me to understand my position:

First - I was the youngest in my class of 300 in the local public school.  Academically my age was never an issue, but whoo-boy, did it ever show in Phys. Ed. class. 

Second, I was always a bookworm - much more inclined to read through a stack of Danny Dunn or Hardy Boys books on a Saturday than get involved in any neighborhood ball games.

Third - sports were never a “thing” at our house, as my dad was much more interested in ham radio, electronics and cars. 

So there’s my background in a nutshell - a tall and skinny “reader” with no experience or interest in team sports, just waiting for the day in 11th grade when phys. ed. was no longer required.

Now fast-forward 20 years.  Recently my kids had swimming lessons at my old high school and I had the chance to walk the halls of my alma mater for the first time since graduating (and the nightmare came true - I was still unable to remember where my locker was....  The pool is down by the gym, so the first steps on my walk down memory lane were through all the sports trophy cases.  I especially took note of the recent “hall of fame” additions, which had large plaques with 8 x 10” glossy photos of the star athletes, listing their accomplishments.

As I continued walking, I wondered about those students who excelled in the classroom - the valedictorians and salutorians and other really smart kids.  Did they get similar recognition? 

I finally found a plaque, placed on a side-wall near the school library.  The single large plaque had the past 30 years or so of history, listing the two top people from each class. 

The listings? 1” x 3” brass plates engraved only with their name, year and position of valedictorian/salutorian.

Now this week we received the school newsletter.  Initally my hopes were raised—the cover of the newsletter features the science Olympiad Team, and inside are articles on math, generosity, after-school activies and character education.  My hopes were dashed, though, when I turning to the back cover of the newsletter and found a “Hall of Fame” section that honors only the star athletes - some of those same athletes I saw on my walk.

Evidently the public schools are trying to be about more than the stuff that happens on the sports field, but the only way to be remembered and celebrated 20 years after graduation is still to be the fastest runner.

I don’t get that.  I really just don’t understand it.

And I’m not sure what it means for my home-schooled kids.  Will their net experience be more positive, or will they have “missed out” on being one of those celebrated athletes?

It’s not an easy question to answer.