Sometimes, when you are in the media, you will find yourself in an impossible position. That position is one that could put your positive position in the community at risk.
We have a choice – address it, or play it safe and run as far away from it as possible. I’ve done the latter before and it was the right thing to do then.
Not today.
When Lakeview Middle School was created decades ago to allow the growing community of Warsaw to better serve the seventh and eighth graders of the school corporation, it certainly did that. No one could argue that having two middle schools here is anything but good (well, OK, except for those people who complain about every single thing … no one can help them).
It’s been great except for one thing – sports.
And we all get that, right? You take any business, any hospital, any office or organization and split it in half, and then spin the other half off into a competing entity to the original and you have the recipe for tense competition. When I started at the radio station in 1991 it felt like Edgewood was heritage and Lakeview was the new kid on the block.
It was awkward, to say the least.
Over time, the schools settled into their roles in serving the neighborhoods on their sides of town.
But the athletic atmosphere still is contentious to this day. And when I use that word, I want you to understand that it is not an “iron sharpening iron” thing, and it popped up again last week.
Now, before we go any deeper into this conversation, there are a few facts you need to know. They are important to the premise of what I am trying to achieve in the community by going down this path today.
I was not at the Lakeview-Edgewood boys basketball games last Thursday. But I have a pretty good idea of the cross-section of facts because so many people encouraged me to write this today after what happened.
I don’t know names of anyone who was involved. It doesn’t matter. It’s been going on for nearly 30 years.
I am not blaming any school, coach, player, administrator, parent or member of the community for starting this unhealthy situation, nor am I ‘calling out’ any one of those people or groups to fix it.
But I am offering to be part of the solution, and I am asking for help.
I used to attend the Lakeview-Edgewood games because it was a great way to see the future of Tiger sports on the same field going head-to-head in an apples-to-apples comparison.
Virtually every time, I walked away from those events shaking my head because of the actions and attitudes I witnessed – particularly among the parents. The last time I went was for the middle school conference volleyball championship in the Tiger Den between Warsaw’s best and brightest eighth graders about 18 years ago.
It was a great match. It went all three games and extra points before Edgewood claimed the crown. Lakeview’s side was disappointed because they didn’t win after pouring out their all without a title to show for it, but the level of play was so high that everyone could be proud.
And then came the presentation of the trophy.
When the winners were handed their trophy in triumph, the fans of their worthy opponents greeted them with boos and jeers.
They BOOED them! And it wasn’t just a few of them, it was most, and they were loud. I challenged a couple of those fans, who were parents, and they told me “you aren’t from Warsaw, you just don’t get it. It’s Lakeview-Edgewood.”
You’re right, sir, I don’t get it.
For about three decades there has been one concept that has been either ignored or forgotten and I would like to reintroduce it to you today. It could be considered a ground-breaking philosophy if it wasn’t so stunningly simple.
Edgewood athletes and Lakeview athletes are all Warsaw Tigers.
Ponder that for a second. Sure, they went to different elementary schools and have funneled into different middle schools, but if they continue to improve and grow, they will be on the same team – the Warsaw Tigers.
But until we turn away from this toxic atmosphere that descends on the Lakeview-Edgewood sporting events (specifically basketball), it will anchor us to mediocrity in sports and outside it. It’s not how we want our children to treat other people and we must work together to make it stop.
Maybe we ought to have a community forum on it. School administrators could share thoughts on where the problems stem from, parents and students could ask questions and comment. I am offering my services as moderator for that night.
You may think it’s frivolous.
You’ll keep thinking that ... until it’s your kid or grandkid getting booed by someone who lives three blocks from you and wears the same colors as you.
