8 UCW AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 5, 2017
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
Tailgates. Pep rallies. Friday night lights.
The new school year is here! And that's
exciting news for student-athletes and high
school sports fans alike.
Research shows that being a student-
athlete is about a lot more than fun and
games. It teaches important life lessons,
too. In fact, high school athletes not only
have higher grade-point averages and
fewer school absences than non-athletes,
they also develop the kind of work habits
and self-discipline skills that help them
become more responsible and productive
community members.
Attending high school sporting events
teaches important life lessons, too.
Among them, it teaches that we can live
in different communities, come from dif-
ferent backgrounds, faiths and cultures,
cheer for different teams, and still have a
common bond.
That's why attending the activities
hosted by your high school this fall is so
important. It's not only an opportunity to
cheer for your hometown team, it is also
an opportunity to celebrate our common-
ality. And that's something our country
needs right now.
The bond we share is mutually support-
ing the teenagers in our respective com-
munities. We applaud their persistence,
tenacity, preparation and hard work,
regardless of the color of the uniform they
wear. We acknowledge that education-
based, high school sports are enhanc-
ing their lives, and ours, in ways that few
other activities could. And we agree that
regardless of what side of the field we sit
on, attending a high school sporting event
is an uplifting, enriching, family-friendly
experience for all of us.
Many of the high schools in our state
lie at the heart of the communities they
serve. They not only are educating our
next generation of leaders, they also are a
place where we congregate, where people
from every corner of town and all walks of
life come together as one. And at no time is
this unity more evident than during a high
school athletic event.
is is the beginning of a new school year.
Opportunities abound in the classroom and
outside of it. Let's make the most of them
by attending as many athletic events at the
high schools in our community as possible.
Turn on the lights, and let the games begin!
High School Activities Bring Communities Together
by BOB GARDNER AND QUE TUCKER
OPINION
QUE TUCKER, Commissioner of the
N.C. High School Athletic Association.
COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin-
gweekly.com. (910) 484-6200.
Research shows that being a student-athlete is about a lot more than fun
and games.
(910) 678-8400 • www.faytechcc.edu
The
SMART
choice
!
FALL CLASSES BEGIN OCT 19TH! REGISTER SEPT 1 - OCT18!
Over 250 programs of study - Many online!
Need fall Classes? REgister now for FALL II 8-week CLASSES!
