NYTimes: The Unlikely Scrum
This story is about a group of black high school students competing in the traditionally white sport, rugby.
If you don't want to read through the whole article, check out the video on page 2. It covers the material in the article.
This reminds me of Remember the Titans and Pride, both movies about blacks breaking down racial barriers in football and swimming, respectively. Sports, as competitive as they are, have a way of bringing people together. Just look at the Olympics.
Also of note in the article is how playing a sport turns these students lives around - not because they have hopes of turning professional, but because they have a purpose to strive toward, a way to direct their energy in a healthy way, a reason to stay out of trouble. They are exposed to a world outside their dangerous hometown, where dead bodies do not even emotionally move them. They are harnessing a hope for the future. They are learning skills for life. All this through a sport!
I especially like how the coach leads, but also relates to them where they are, with their youthful slang and their pre-game rapping roll call. This is a story just waiting for a movie script.
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Everyone, especially children, need a purpose; to get better, to mature, to learn, etc. Sports traditionally teaches character, integrity, goal-setting, self-discipline, teamwork, etc. but we are finding more and more that it enhances academics, brain-power, motivation, morals, healthy habits, and social conscious.
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