Martin Luther King - A good sport for humanity

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Martin Luther King holiday in America.  Wow!  It seems that we have celebrated Dr. King's life and legacy much longer than that.  Every year, we are asked in some form or another if his dream has been realized.  However, I'm not sure many of us know what his dream is.  Please don't take that as an elitist statement.  It's just that most of us haven't heard or seen a transcript of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech since 5th grade.  Some of us think Dr. King's dream has to do with equality. No. Others think his dream is a call to action for African-Americans.  Strike two.  Dr. King's dream has nothing to do with how many people of color coach sports teams, get hired as CEO, or even elected President of the United States.

You can find the meaning of Dr. King's dream in the first and last lines of his hoop.  What is a hoop?  I'm so glad you asked me.  Dr. King was a Baptist minister - an African-American Baptist minister.  The "I Have a Dream" speech is actually a sermon.  Baptist ministers begin their sermons with a biblical text, then move to instruction, and the last several minutes can be characterized as inspiration - or a hoop.  That's the reason why he gets louder and more animated during the last few minutes of the speech.  Dr. King said, "I have a dream...a dream that's deeply rooted in the American dream."  The American dream is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  His last words were "...Free at last!  Free at last!  Thank God Almighty!  We are free at last!"

Dr. King's dream can be summed up in a single word - freedom.  He wanted us to be free to live and pursue our own dreams without fear of oppression, isolation, or persecution.  How does the Civil Rights Movement relate to sportsmanship?  Think of Dr. King as a coach.  He lead, directed, and supported his team through a contest of racism, violence and tyranny.  Although others did not play fair and used the rules against him, he responded nonviolently.  He continued to play by the rules when his opponents did not.  He continued to treat people with respect and honor his position as a leader; even when members of his own team said he should do otherwise.  He did not have the attitude of "us against the world."  His attitude was "us...for all."

We must do our part to help our children realize their dreams.  For many of us, that means helping to improve their youth sports experience.  You can start by joining us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University.  Coaching leadership, sports parenting, bullying, athlete safety, and other topics will be addressed.  Former Rams great, Aeneas Williams will kick-off a tremendous morning with a free autograph session beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Breakfast will also be provided.  This event is free, but registration is required to attend.  Please click the following link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130 to register.  One more thing, Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech is available below in its entirety (Email subscribers click here).  I hope it inspires you to pursue your own dream.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol