On Saturday, November 26, 2011, a new Division I football champion was crowned. To me the story was not the Desert Vista team winning the championship, but how the two teams handled themselves after the game. The AIA has promoted for years Pursuing Victory With Honor. This initiative is often used as a blunt object to beat into submission schools, coaches and athletes on their behavior… on Saturday we witnessed PVWH.

A hard fought “battle” on the field preceded by media coverage of a prior contest and accusations of “bad blood” had the potential to blow up. While there were ejections at the end of the game and emotions ran high, what we have to remember was the behavior of the coaches and students when the final second expired, both teams handled themselves with honor.

I saw a coach who just lost a state championship, that they were expected to win, and the loss of a nationally recognized winning streak, not only congratulate the opposing winning team but state “you guys were awesome today”… true competition demands that we hope that we get the best from our opponents, last Saturday Desert Vista and Hamilton both gave it everything they had, in the game and after the game.

Coach Hinds and Coach Belles should be recognized not only for their season victories and championships, but last Saturday they exemplified in victory and defeat, Pursuing Victory With Honor.