Mrs. Miller's Weekly Update
January 31st - February 6, 2022
OFFICIALS ARE MORE THAN JUST "OFFICIALS"
Pictured above is Kaylan. Kaylan is a speech pathologist with the Central Rivers Area Education Agency (CRAEA) and works with GHV students who have IEPs for speech. Kaylan is shared with other schools in the area in addition to GHV, and she is a great asset to our kids with speech disabilities.
I worked with Kaylan's mom, Dee, at North Iowa Elementary the previous two school years. When I saw Dee at the game Saturday, I asked what brought her to the GHV/Newman event. She told me her husband, Kaylan's dad, was officiating. Kaylan and her dad took this picture right after the game.
This was such an EXCELLENT REMINDER to me that officials are not just people refereeing our events. They are husbands, dads, uncles, sons, and brothers. There are people in the world who love them despite how accurately they make calls in a game.
Officiating at elementary, middle, and high school events does not define who these individuals are. For most, this is a very, very small part of their lives. Officials are people, too, and we need to remember that every time they make a call.... good or bad.
BE RESPECTFUL TOWARDS THE OFFICIALS
In 1971, ABC's Wild World of Sports' Jim McKay coined the phrase, "The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat." I know one thing - as a former athlete, a parent of an athlete, and a competitive person who loves sports - sports invoke emotions.
You may have read the recent Globe Gazette article sharing the message from the Northern Iowa Officials Association about the desperate need for officials. It is an important job for sure, and often a thankless one. Officials are yelled at and even disrespected by coaches, players, and fans for doing their jobs. Do officials make bad calls? Of course they do; they are human. However, that does not justify berating people when we don't agree with the call they make.
If you don't know me well, I'll admit. I am a very loud person. In fact, I was screaming very loudly at the tight matched boys' game Saturday between our Cardinals and Newman Knights. It was an intense and exhilarating game, and I don't apologize for being loud. I was engrossed in the game, and I wanted to win!
The reason I am unapologetic is because what I was shouting were words of encouragement and support. "Nice rebound! Brush it off! (when a mistake was made) Teamwork! You'll get the next one! (when a free throw was missed). Rebound! You're good, you're good!" (when I saw an athlete showing frustration). I make a conscious effort to make sure my comments are positive and encouraging. I have the GHV student section next to me, and it's my job to try my best to set a good example.
Let me be clear. I love the enthusiasm and passion of our students and fans. GHV FANS - YOUNG AND OLD - KEEP THE ENTHUSIASM & PASSION! I want us to be LOUD and PROUD!
However, I do ask that we make a conscious effort to be respectful of our officials. When they make a call that you don't agree with, don't berate them. Yelling at an official for their call won't change the outcome, and most importantly, it doesn't help our athletes. We need to support them and encourage them when they make mistakes, when the officials make mistakes, or when things are not going our way. We need to help deescalate the frustration, not add to it. We need to encourage them to keep going and to try their best.
I've been working on good sportsmanship with our students, and I have been modeling it myself. I still think negative things in my head sometimes, but I have been doing a good job of not saying them out loud. I'm a work in progress, too. :)
I'll ask of you the same things I expect from our kids. Keep the passion. Keep cheering for us, not against them. And show our officials respect despite our thoughts on if the right call was made. They deserve respect regardless.
REMEMBER - We are CARDINALS! Everything we say and do at events represents GHV, and therefore, being respectful is ALWAYS the right call.
Photo Credit: GHV Sports Boosters Facebook Page
Remember what I mentioned about wanting us to be loud and proud?
LET'S CHEER WITH THE CHEERLEADERS! I noticed Saturday that during breaks or timeouts, our crowd was often quiet when our cheerleaders were out there cheering. This is a perfect time to show our Cardinal Pride by cheering along. This can be standing and clapping, chanting along to "Let's Go Black", or anything you feel comfortable with. I'd love for us to be louder during these cheering times!
I'll see you (or maybe you'll hear me first) at the upcoming events this week.
GOOOOOOOO Cardinals!
Random Acts of Kindness
It was a very small gesture, but it made a big impact on my mood in that moment. I loved the message, and I thought to myself, "I wonder what group or organization did this. I need to thank them!"
To my surprise, I found out this was not an organized gesture. It was two of our students who decided on their own to do something kind to brighten our day. And the only way I found out was because one the girls asked if we had strong tape or an idea of how to keep things that were posted from falling. I asked some questions so I could suggest the best option, and this is how I found out who was responsible for this random act of kindness.
THIS..... THIS is what I love to see from our kids at GHVHS...promoting kindness without expecting anything in return. I AM SO PROUD!