Monroe freshman football players got quite a boost on Wednesday, when they played the Cascade Bruins ninth graders at Everett Memorial Stadium. In a brutally tough defensive match-up, Monroe eeked out a victory in the final minute of the game with a fourth and goal slam up the middle for the winning touchdown. It was a triumphant moment for the Monroe program overall, which has struggled as a newcomer to the ultra-tough WESCO 4A ranks. As defensive coach, I was, to say the least, extremely proud of our boys when the buzzer sounded and the victory was ours.

However, the best play of the night was yet to come. In a class act reminiscent of a time when life moved at a slower pace and sportsmanship meant as much as winning, the Bruins’ freshman head coach Craig Bekins took the time to come onto our bus and congratulate our players on their victory. He also went out of his way to personally congratulate a number of individual players on our team.

Such leadership and dignity shows up less frequently nowadays, but inspires much in those who witness it. I learned something that night about what it means to be a coach. It’s no wonder Cascade has established itself as a top-notch program. There is a difference between winners and winning. Coach Bekins proved that on Wednesday.

Assistant Coach

Monroe