The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Athletes and role models Ð it's an interesting combination. People don't like to see some or any sports figures put on that pedestal Ð often because of their personal problems and it's usually related to drugs as well as performance enhancing drugs. Former NFL star Michael Irvin is an example of the first, while Ben Johnson and several baseball players come to mind with the latter. There are too many to list, but you get the point. Parents want their kids to look up to firefighters or police officers because they are looked at as heroes. I remember comments made by retired baseball star Mark McGuire following the September 11 attacks when he credited all the police officers and firefighters for their rescue efforts in searching for people in the World Trade Center. To McGuire, they are the real heroes Ð he and other athletes just play a game. People also feel athletes shouldn't be placed in the role model position for that exact reason. What I'm talking about isn't new. Sports is an interesting area because, minus sports buffs, the professional spectrum and the money that follows it make people think it isn't the most important thing in life. However, when tragedies strike, sports is good medicine to ease the mind. Watching the Flin Flon Bombers play hockey with a local bantam team and interviewing Ray Donaldson, who coaches bantam, is what leads to this column. Donaldson said it's great for the two teams to play together and how it's something that should happen more often Ð he also mentioned how the Bombers are role models in the community. He stated that the Bombers are no different than the bantam players, the only difference is age. That is true, however, there is one difference. If Richard Dupre, Tyler Beachell, Keelan Cook and Darryl Finnerty and the rest of the team weren't Bombers, would the bantam players still want to have a scrimmage with these players, who are good people? They represent the Bombers organization Ð which subtracting residents who don't care about hockey Ð is the big thing in town. It all comes back to who these players are. Perhaps in development sports, it's different. Most people who follow the Bombers and have been part of this community for ions know that it's highly encouraging for the team to give back to the community. This team goes just about everywhere. From participating in Christmas Choirs, doing volunteer work to having kids skate with them at the Whitney Forum. The Bombers interacted well with kids as much as six years younger than them. It was a treat to watch. It may have been the first time most of these players had met each other, but they seemed to have a great time together. Goalie Travis Crickard had a blast, especially because he had a chance to show off his skills as a forward. I think having the Bombers play with minor hockey teams is one of the best ways to do it. There is nothing wrong with having an athlete be your role model if you're striving for an athletic dream, but what about in life? Does society risk treading a fine line when athletes are put in a position maybe they shouldn't be in?
