Breakfast of Champions

Hello People,

   Yesterday saw our school celebrating Telmarine Sports day in true competitive style.  Some schools may have lame sports like Quidditch, but riding a broom? I ask you, where is the athleticism in that? No our school believes in true feats of physicality and to demonstrate this we held our annual House Floorball Tournament.  If you too are unfamiliar with Floorball, as I was until yesterday, I will explain in brief.  Floorball is, in essence, hockey and roller hockey on shoes with a ball.  This is my understanding of it and after six or so hours of watching and cheering yesterday I feel confident in this assessment even though when I mentioned it to Howard, a scandinavian friend, he told me, "No, they are completely different."  
   
   Like some other schools, we have four school Houses into which the students are all divided.  Unlike some other schools we do not wear robes, so once again we find ourselves in a  position of superiority. Normally, these four houses are marked by solidarity, but yesterday each was marked by some good ol' competition.  16 teams in a double elimination tournament for bragging rights and  house points?  How could it be otherwise. 


   I am a house guide for the best of the houses, Veritas, and yesterday I was also something of a cheerleader for Veritas.  Every game I attempted to yell the loudest, jump the highest, and high five the hardest.  I succeeded in all of these except the high fives.  There I was beaten by a 7th Grade girl and I will admit, it hurt my hand and my pride.  Toward the end of the tournament our hopes seemed to be fading when 3 of our four teams had a loss and the team we thought was our last hope lost as well. Then something magical happened, not a magic wand sort of magic, more of a "miracle" magic.  One of our teams began thrashing the competition in the Losers' Bracket.  Suddenly, we found Veritas back from having all four teams in the Loser's Bracket to having a team in the Final against the only undefeated team left in the competition.  I haven't felt so tense since the 2010 post season.  We tried to chant during the final game but it was too tense. In order to win we had to beat them twice and when we beat Prudentia in the first game I thought I might cry.  The final 5 minutes seemed to tick by in hours rather than seconds.  1 Minute- no score.  2 Minutes- No score.  3 Minutes- No score.  4 Minutes- Veritas scores 1 and Prudentia takes three shots on the goal.  5 Minutes- Veritas scores and wins the House Floorball Cup!  Amazing!


   As competitive as yesterday was, and as much as I enjoyed being the loud obnoxious American and cheering on my teams, it really was a day about unity and friendship.  Whole families were there for the day.  Parents took the day off of work to come out and watch.  Everywhere was the constant eruption of cheers.  It was amazing to see the students from all 4 houses cheering each other on.  It was touching to see whole games stop because someone fell down on the other end of the field.  As a teacher, it was gratifying to see my students look to me when they scored or allowed a score, and come to me first for a high five when they won or they lost.  I love my students, from all of the houses.  I can't imagine a bigger blessing than doing what I am doing. I'm incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to be where I am investing in their lives.