Community pride...

I want to tell you a story. A story of a little girl that had much adversity in her life, she wasn't the smartest girl and she wasn't the most athletic girl but she had one thing...determination. This stubborn, strong willed girl started playing basketball in the 4th grade. It was a horrible season, they barely knew how to dribble a basketball but this team had a coach who knew that to be successful you had to teach the kids how to win. The first season wasn't a good one until they found a team they could beat and they scheduled them for AAU games as much a possible so that the girls knew what it felt like to win. The 5th grade season rolled around and the team went undefeated. AAU continued in the spring and summer. The 6th grade season they had a new coach but still only lost one game that year. Jr. High years, they had their old coach and went undefeated in 7th grade, and lost two games in the 8th grade. This team was a family, the parents encouraged the team & coaches even through the losses. They made it to AAU state tournament every year but one.

Then high school rolled around and a lot of changes happened, the athletic side of it was disappointing a lot but that little girl continued to work hard because you see talent didn't come natural for her. She had to work to get anywhere. Her parents knew that the school couldn't be responsible for her total success so they spent a lot of time and money in travel sports, it wasn't always easy and it was very tiring but they were committed to seeing it through. Coaches don't do it for the money, they do it because they love the game and they care about the kids.

This little girl went on to play NCAA Division 2 softball. Her school didn't get her looked at, her travel sports did and her parents making the effort to get recurring forms filled out did.

That little girl is my daughter, Aimee. The coach... Her dad.

You see I tell you that story because that team that became family made a lot of people believe in them and the sense of pride for Shoals improved because of that. Aimee is a junior at OCU still playing softball and she came from Shoals and didn't have to move to get where she is.

I was born & raised in Bedford. I went to high school during the Damon Bailey era. I know what pride is about. I have lived in Shoals for 15 years and I am proud to say I am from here. It saddens me when I see others trash our small community and to see people that live here do it devastates me.

Shoals is a wonderful place to raise a family. My kids have thrived living here. Community pride goes way beyond athletics. It's about how we treat others, how we rally around people when the storms of life overtake them, I have seen some amazing things done out of the love that people in Shoals have for each other.

So, I challenge you to do one thing. Find something in your community that you can be proud of and celebrate it.

I am proud to live in Shoals, Indiana. I hope you can say the same.