Roncalli’s Junior Varsity Girls’ Softball Team Defines Civility

In sports civility can be hard to come by, but in 2010 Roncalli’s junior varsity girls’ softball team who hadn’t lost a game in 2½ years, purposely offered to declare defeat against Marshall’s team who had never played a game before.  Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better.

It was Marshall’s first softball game in history. They showed up to the game with five balls, two bats, no helmets, no sliding pads, no cleats, 16 players who’d never played before, and a coach who’d never even seen a game.

After the game, Roncalli’s Coach Traylor asked all the parents of his players and anybody else he knew for more help for Marshall — used bats, gloves, helmets, money for cleats, gloves, sliders, socks and team shirts. They came up with $2,500 and worked with Marshall on the best way to help the program with that money. Roncalli also connected Marshall with former Bishop Chatard coach Kim Wright, who will advise the program.

Read more here.

In September, October and November, the Indiana Humanities is exploring the topic of “civility,” as part of its Spirit of Competition theme.