Epitome of character

To the Telegram:

Last Friday night our football team hosted you at our homecoming game. Though the score was lopsided, the players and coach of the Superior Spartans have earned the respect and admiration of all Menomonie football players, our coaching staff, parents and fans.

I know you have received several e-mails on this subject, and probably several phone calls, so I don’t need to relay the story of how the Spartan players and coach let a boy with special needs from the Menomonie team score a touchdown. Instead, let me tell you some of the back story.

Sam Kolden is the boy who scored that memorable touchdown, he practiced all season to just catch that pass and run in the right direction. Sam was awarded the game ball, and was cheered by the Spartan and Menomonie football players.

Though the fans of the Spartans didn’t know what was going on, they did soon realize that it was an act of kindness and charity. They shared in the pride their team must have felt as the Menomonie fans shook the hands of the players and families of the Spartans and praised them for their character. Your team has a winning spirit; they epitomize sportsmanship to act like men and do a right and just act. We can all learn a lesson from them. Where do we get such men?

These men come from the parents, teachers and coaches and community of Superior. Those sons of yours are men of character and integrity. You started with boys at the beginning of the season and they are now men. Though the season has been tough on the Spartans, they won the day at Menomonie, no one talked of the victory in our town, instead they talked about the Spartans and what salt of the earth character they showed. Menomonie parents didn’t sing their son’s victory, instead they pointed to the Spartans and said, “Wow! Learn a lesson from them. Strive to be just like the Spartans,” When the final whistle blew the Spartans didn’t leave the field defeated, they won that night, the moral victory, the victory of character and kindness.

We salute you Spartans and hope this game carries you to victories through the rest of the season, through the rest of your high school careers and the rest of your lives.

Ray and Takayo Wemmer,

Menomonie, Wis.

Tags: opinion, letters, superior