What Makes America Great? or What Makes America Great:

   In my opinion, one thing which has made the U.S.A. a great country and unique in the history of the world is high school sports, football in particular. I'm unabashedly biased, as I once coached high school football teams. During the past few weeks in the aftermath of the Houston area's Hurricane Harvey, many local high school football teams continued to practice at damaged stadiums and even continued playing games. Even though high schools cancelled classes, schools such as Refugio, Rockport, and Aransas Pass allowed their football teams to continue. In many cases, high school football was the only hope these schools had. Many teams would go out after or before practice to help clean-up their communities. High school football was the glue that held many rural towns together following this natural disaster, and is part of what makes America great.
   Last week, the Blanchard Lions high school football team played the Tuttle Tigers at Oscar Brooks Stadium, home of the Lions. Although Blanchard won (23-14), it was a well-played game which could have gone either way. A "defensive award" was presented to a Lion player after the game which teammates believe represents the tenacity and "never give in" attitude displayed by Nathan Williams, a teammate who drowned last spring while swimming at Chickasha Lake. After the contest The Championship Belt with the number 56 and the word "DOOMSDAY" was given to Reilly Bussey. Nathan Williams was a Blanchard Lion football player who was loyal and committed to his teammates, and his teammates were and are still committed to him (once a Lion, always a Lion). This is also part of what makes America great. True loyalty and commitment to a cause never changes or wains.
   The Blanchard Lion teammates of Nathan Williams will never forget him and will always think of him as part of their team. I believe this because of my own experience in losing teammates, even though our team existed long ago. I remember and still think of friends who are no longer with us as teammates, loyal and committed. As a  Lindsay Leopard (once a Leopard, always a Leopard) I will always remember teammates who left us too soon. Teammates such as Roger Dodd, Johnny Webb, Jeff Bates, Rick Lawson, and Wayne Todd will always be thought of as Lindsay Leopards by their Leopard family friends, and part of what makes America great.