Softball players are patriotic -- they can sing, too!
April 27, 2011 by Don Ketchum, AZPreps365
Not long ago, the softball team from Peoria Sunrise Mountain joined players from Glendale Raymond S. Kellis in recognizing breast-cancer awareness as well as awareness of other forms of cancer by wearing special uniforms during a game.
In another act of kindness and respect, the Sunrise Mountain players and those from Vail Cienega, near Tucson, touched the heart of a Vietnam veteran and long-time employee of Luke Air Force Base.
We will let Mr. John Gaines take it from here as he tells the story in a letter to Sunrise Mountain principal Jerry Nunez:
Dear Mr. Nunez,
I am a Vietnam veteran and have worked at Luke AFB for over 41 years. I have seen, heard, and experienced a lot in my life time but what I experienced with your softball team will stay with me for the rest of my life.
My wife, Arneda, is a school bus driver for the Peoria School District. On 31 March 2011 she was given the responsibility to take the Sunrise Mountain High School Boys Baseball and Girls Softball Teams to Cienega High School which is located southeast of Tucson.
My wife and I were in the stands waiting for the start of the girls’ softball game and it came time for the National Anthem. Prior to the National Anthem the announcer for the game was playing all kinds of music as the girls warmed-up. We stood for the National Anthem and there was a longgggggggg pause of total silence. The announcer tried for a couple of minutes to fix the problem but he finally shrugged his shoulders and said it won’t work.
I still get goose bumps thinking about it but what happened next just made me tear up with pride. The SMHS softball team started singing the National Anthem acappella style and then the Cienega High School team joined in. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I speak for my wife and myself in saying that those girls will always have a special place in our hearts and we have a new appreciation for the younger generation in that patriotism still waves. I have told my family, friends, bible study group, and co-workers at Luke AFB about what happened that day.
THANK YOU SUNRISE MOUNTAIN HIGH GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM!!!!!
The AIA welcomes similar stories about athletes and coaches in the community. Please contact Don Ketchum at dketchum@AIA365.com or Les Willsey at lwillsey@AIA365.com.
