A classy move: Eastern Wayne soccer team shows what 'sportsmen' really means

There are a whole bunch of parents in the Eastern Wayne High School area who have reason to be proud today.

Not because their school just earned some academic honor or that one of its sports teams brought home a victory.

In fact, the school's soccer team was not able to secure a win Monday against archrivals Charles B. Aycock.

But what the young men on that team brought home last night was better than any trophy or slash mark in the win column.

The team decided to wear T-shirts last night in honor of David Burke, a former Charles B. Aycock player, who was seriously injured last spring in a freak accident.

Burke was there Monday, watching from the sidelines.

Before the game began, the entire Eastern Wayne team took the time to walk over to the bleachers and to applaud for their fallen comrade.

What a class move.

There are many lessons teenagers learn in school -- and most of them involve books.

But some of the most important are what they learn about being people -- and doing the right thing.

Eastern Wayne's soccer team showed this county just what it means to be sportsmen, champions and, most importantly, first-class young men.

They showed their classmates and the crowd Monday that they understand that sometimes there is more to be learned on the field than how to kick a goal or how to win a championship.

And that should have made their school, and their parents, extremely proud.

Published in Editorials on September 21, 2010 10:24 AM