Contratulations to all the local and area atheletic teams which earned state tournament trips &045; that is the stuff high school memories are made of.

While some people think it is coaching &045; and we also believe such is a critical element, particularly in high school atheletics &045; it really comes down to the work ethic of the athletes themselves.

Each player’s commitment and dedication to practices and attention paid to the coaches’ instruction has to come from inside each individual, which when added to other team member’s strenghts makes for a successful team.

Often athletes spend time when others are asleep or having fun to practice the skills of their sport. They forego personal free time to lift weights, practice making shots, passing skills or take down holds. It’s this sort of individual dedication that makes up a team, and is a recipe for success throughout life.

Of course, the kids learned these valuable lessons from parents, and we would be derelect to ignore their support. Parents make their own sacrifices to ensure the success of their children, all the while coaching them to achieve their potential.

We applaud the students &045; and their parents &045;who make sacrifices to enhance a team effort and ultimately their own lives.