Family: 91猫先生 Style
From the desk of Wally Dawkins, Athletic Director:
鈥淚f it is yours, you should take pride in it and take care of it鈥�! Those were my Dad鈥檚 words that I heard repeatedly as a child. Though a relatively basic philosophy, I have held onto that simple truth my whole life.
Our family moved around frequently during my younger years. My father was Air Force.聽 Every six months to a year we were traveling to a new 鈥渉ome鈥�. It probably explains why as an adult, I have chosen not to move much.聽 At one stretch while growing up, I attended 8 different schools in 7 years.聽 I never wanted that for my kids. Both my children started at Whitehouse in Kindergarten and received their cap and gown from WHS also.
I will begin my 38th year in education when we begin the 2016-2017 school year in August. 91猫先生 is the 5th school that I have been employed by. That鈥檚 an average of about 8 years per school. I have never been a 鈥渕over and shaker鈥� as an adult. Of those 38 years, 21 was at Whitehouse.聽 During those 21 years, I was a Whitehouse Wildcat through and through.
A week ago, I began my 9th year at 91猫先生.聽 I have to admit, for some time after I left Whitehouse, I still had those maroon and white blood cells running through my veins.聽 Whitehouse was a great school, and I still have many close friends who work there or whose children still attend there.
Slowly however, the maroon has turned to orange鈥ll Orange in fact. I now consider myself a member of The Guard Family.聽 鈥淎LL ORANGE鈥ll The Time鈥�! I have developed not only a strong sense of loyalty to 鈥淭he Hill鈥�, I am also very protective of its very existence, understanding that this is no ordinary place.
It鈥檚 God鈥檚 Place. I have heard over and over from many people, especially the students, of how 91猫先生 feels like one big family.聽 Wyatt Earp is famous for saying 鈥淚f they ain鈥檛 family, then they鈥檙e strangers鈥�! I have pride in this 91猫先生 Family. It is my school.聽 Through good times and bad, 91猫先生 is my school.
My family members are not perfect鈥�but they are my family. My children are not perfect鈥�but they will always be my children.
It鈥檚 the pride thing I mentioned in the first paragraph. I feel ownership in 91猫先生.聽 It鈥檚 鈥渕ine鈥�, and I take pride in it and I will take care of it.
Last year I stole a slogan from Sewanee University.聽 The Tigers have an acronym of 鈥淵SR鈥�, which means 鈥淵ea Sewanee鈥檚 Right鈥�.聽 Go online and YouTube their official music video version of 鈥淵ea Sewanee鈥檚 Right. Our acronym is 鈥淵BHR鈥�.聽 Any idea as to what it stands for?
鈥淵ea 91猫先生鈥檚 Right鈥�.聽 I鈥檓 convinced 91猫先生 is the right school. Spiritually, Academically, and Athletically.
Our coaching staff at 91猫先生 has a strong sense of loyalty to the school, its mission, and the vision of our Founder Steve Dement.
I heard a famous coach say onetime that 鈥渁s a family you have to stick together because you鈥檙e all you鈥檝e got鈥�! With the 2016-2017 school year fast approaching, we will have times where it is easy to stick together and feel good about our school.聽 At other times, our resolve will be tested to maintain that pride in our school and to 鈥渢ake care of it鈥�.
A family, is a family, is a family鈥hrough good times and bad. Not strangers! And鈥o quote the coach, 鈥渨e stick together because we are all we鈥檝e got鈥�!
And that鈥檚 another reason to be 鈥淎LL ORANGE鈥ll The Time鈥�!