This past Saturday, Jan. 26, I saw something on a basketball court that I have never seen before. I saw a young man who prides himself on being "macho," as many 13 year-olds do, moved to tears as the buzzer sounded and his team had won a basketball championship. Now, anyone who has ever watched the NCAA March Madness tournament has seen that before, but what you don't often see is a player, who has family, friends, a girlfriend and others who love and care about him deeply, instinctually make his way towards his coaches in such a moment.

Cody Hamilton ran as hard as he could, in spite of being on tired legs from playing a hard fought game that came down to the wire, to take his coaches, Darryl Stanley and Brian Osgood into a giant hug. The tears began to fall from Cody's face before he got to them. Darryl and Brian had tears in their eyes, as well.

I mention this because of what it means in the big picture. This hug and those tears weren't the result of a basketball game, a championship win or anything to do with the actual playing of a sport at all. This moment, one of the greatest you can ask for as a family member witnessing a relative coming of age, was the culmination of six years of mentoring, guidance and coaching that molded a little boy into a respectful, hardworking young man who knows the value of putting in an effort to attain a desired outcome. It also shows the kind of respect that comes not from being in a position of authority, but rather the kind that is earned through the love, dedication, push and drive that a coach or mentor pours into his team, and the way that it positively influences our children while they are in that person's care.

It is my belief that, after watching not only Cody, but also all of the boys who have played under Coach Stanley and Coach Osgood, that they are not just better basketball players, but also better people for having been taught by them. They don't worry about stats as most young players do. They focus on fairness. In several games, without being told by the coaches, the boys that usually lead the team in scoring will give up a chance to score more points so that they can pass the ball to kids that haven't scored yet, trying to get everyone involved. Win or lose, these boys also show respect for opposing players and coaches. These are the kind of behaviors that sports are supposed to encourage. Coach Stanley taught them this approach when they were in third grade. Now in eighth grade, not a season has passed when the boys don't follow these teachings. They also aren't told to play like this. They simply remembered what their coach taught them as little boys and carried these guiding principles with them throughout their growing years.

Coach Stanley and Coach Osgood also involve the boys in things not associated with the school basketball team. They host several team dinners where the boys can get together in a fun setting and focus on things outside of basketball. They have held several celebratory functions at their own homes as well as at Jason Hamilton's home to get the boys together and let them appreciate their achievements. They dedicate several hours of their personal time to enriching the lives of their players.

All of this being said, I strongly support Coach Stanley and Coach Osgood in any and all endeavors related to the enrichment of our school community. Many people see basketball as a sport, and focus on box scores and win/loss records. I will fully admit that I was one of those people for a long time. Then I saw the impact that these two men had on my nephew and on other young boys in our school and community. I feel that it would be a shame not to allow others the opportunity to have their lives touched by these caring, compassionate coaches. They have instilled a level of respect into a group of boys that are at an age where respect is typically unheard of. These are the lessons that school sports are supposed to teach our children, and in this lesson, the students that have learned under Coach Stanley and Coach Osgood all earn high honors.

Alan Barker is a member of the Vinalhaven School Class of 2000