By Dan Britton, FCA – for THE CHRISTIAN POST
Several years ago, the football team at the Oscoda Area High School in Michigan canceled the last five games of the season as a result of going 0–4 and not having scored a point. I know going winless and scoreless has a sting to it, but my heart hurts thinking that someone gave up on a group of athletes. I think about the possible victories those athletes will never experience. I don’t mean on-the-field victories. Yes, they probably would have finished 0–9, but it’s not about the scoreboard or the win–loss column. It’s about the life victories that they will not experience.
I guess they had never heard the famous Winston Churchill quote, “Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in…” As a great leader, Churchill advised people to not quit.
Quitting is something that has permeated our society, and regretfully, became a core value for many. People quit without giving the repercussions another thought. However, I believe the word needs to be removed from our vocabulary. Not only do I see it as a curse word, but it’s also a curse to all who live by it.
I can hear, 20 years from now, those athletes in Michigan saying they wish the coaches had not given up on them. Those athletes will remember that season for the rest of their lives. Even if they would have continued…
