From Dave's Desk

As I write at my desk this morning, we are in the midst of an outbreak of some type of viral infection creating flu-like symptoms in many students, faculty and staff on campus. Several of our athletic teams are functioning with less than full rosters. Players are being told to return to their dorms by the training staff in an effort to keep from spreading it to teammates. A residential college is an ideal setting for the spread of germs. I find it interesting how quickly negativity or "bad" things spread in a close community. If only we could find ways to spread the positive or "good" things among each other as quickly as we do illnesses.

It seems that it is easier to infect others with negative than positive. Sports activities create both positive and negative experiences, but like the physical infections we pass to one another, the negative seems to be easier to focus on and begin to spread to others. Failing to win, not playing to potential, loss of team chemistry, and making poor choices on and off the court/field are all dimensions of sports that are easy to focus on. What are often overlooked are the good things about the people involved and the good they do. Too often, talking about aspects other than the final score is viewed as an excuse for losing or not developing excellence.

I want to tell you about the great people we have in the athletic department at EMU and the work they are doing with young people. Although they face many hurdles, coaches spend countless hours and a lot of personal funds to find, recruit and enroll the best athletes who are a fit for the university. They build positive relationships with recruits and their families and work to create a family atmosphere on their teams. They pray for their players, share life stories, lead them in community service projects, work to develop leadership skills and see that they get connected to the university. And while doing all of the above, they work tirelessly to build winning teams and programs of excellence. They provide individual instruction, watch hours of game film, plan intense practice sessions and prepare their teams for each game. Unfortunately in many eyes, all of this is lost when the final score isn't in our favor. When asked about their experience of playing sports, most former players at all levels talk about the people and the relationships.

At EMU we provide young people both programs of excellence and relationships that last a lifetime. Please help us "infect" young people with this good news as they make their college decision.