So Disappointed

Yesterday I found out that over the weekend, three girls from the softball team stole items from a store in St. George. The other coaches found out about it the day it happened, because a teammate (and friend) of the girls was with them when it happened, but didn't participate in the stealing. The coaches decided to take action when they were back in school.

On Monday, the girls were bragging about it at school to their friends, and then acted so surprised when they were confronted by the head coach. Their surprise turned to guilt, and their guilt to shame. They were sobbing so hard, it was difficult for them to breathe. My first thought was, 'Are they upset because they did something wrong? Or, are they upset that they got caught doing something wrong?'.

They have been suspended from playing in two softball games, and have been issued community service as their punishments. I am so disappointed in these girls. Not only have they made themselves look bad, they have shamed their school, their coaches, their teammates, and their families. They compromised their integrity for a couple of lousy, and inexpensive, trinkets.

I hope they can learn from this experience and realize that cheating and stealing in life gets you no where. It is crucial to keep your integrity intact in a world that beckons you into temptation. My role as an example and leader has shifted, and I feel like I have a huge responsibility to help these girls make the right decisions in their lives while I am a part of their lives for this short amount of time. I will try harder to encourage all of the girls to do the right thing, and to have honesty and integrity. I also hope to encourage them to treat each other more kindly and have compassion for every one on the team, including the girls they don't consider their friends.