Sports stories seldom make the pages of the Catholic Voice, and it's been that way for years.
Your archdiocesan newspaper traditionally leaves that reporting - even about Catholic high school sports - to the newspapers across Northeast Nebraska, as well as other media outlets that feature sports coverage.
Every so often, however, stories come along that demand attention in the Catholic Voice. Typically, these aren't the stories of winning or losing, team or individual honors, but about people connected to sports. And sometimes, the connection to sports is incidental.
That's the case with our story in this issue on the special mentoring program involving the Mercy High School varsity basketball team and the fifth grade girls team at Our Lady of Lourdes in Omaha.
Lisa Maxson's story (see front page of the Web site) provides the basics on the "Basketball Buddy Program," so no need to go into the details here. While the mentoring program at Mercy and OLL might not be unique, there was no doubt it is a story that should be shared.
Mercy Coach Nicole Stromgren and OLL Coach Julia Brekel started the program two years ago, and while both will admit the Mercy players provide added basketball expertise that makes for better OLL players with a better understanding of the game, basketball isn't necessarily the focus of the program.
Players on both teams learn about relationships, about giving, about sharing. OLL teams members look up to the Mercy players - and not just because they are taller. They look up to them as role models, as "big sisters" and, most important, as special friends.
The Mercy players learn about the "receiving" that comes with "giving." They give up time to be with their OLL friends, they teach and they support, and they get admiration and even love in return.
What a great approach to sports in a day when everything seems focused on being No. 1. News coverage of sports - specifically high school sports - often measures success by state championships, winning streaks, all-state honors and the number of college recruits produced.
You won't find any of that in the Mercy-OLL mentoring program. And you won't find a connection to a national or regional organization. There's no top-heavy administration, no big budget and no on-going fund-raising effort.
It's just a simple program - a program about helping, learning, supporting, caring, giving and receiving. Sounds almost Christian doesn't it?
Well, then again, maybe that's what it's all about.
Support for the Catholic Press
In our last issue, Editor Charlie Wieser shared some thoughts on the Catholic press as we celebrate Catholic Press Month.
I decided to let two of my Catholic press associates speak for me ... for Catholic newspapers. You'll find their comments under the commentary link on the front page of the Web site.
The Catholic press veterans provide an excellent case for the ongoing presence and growth of Catholic newspapers ... even in this so-called digital age.
Deacon Randy Grosse is the ad manager and assistant editor of the Catholic Voice. Contact him at ragrosse@archomaha.org.
