A Recipe for Miracles

We are constantly asking - how can we create success for each child? And we continually hit the wall of poverty or learning differences or isolation or fragmentation. We shrug our shoulders and say - what can we do with these children or those teachers? How can we succeed while inequities exist? Ask Coach Stevenson. He's found the answer.

John Barsby is one of the smallest public schools playing football in BC and is an "inner city" high school. On paper, it doesn't have a hope of sustaining a football program, never mind winning championships. At Barsby, it's hard to get kids to attend school each morning; it's hard to get kids to finish school with their Dogwood diploma. But they get up early and stay late to play football. And they work hard! Very, very hard, both at football - and if they want to continue to play football - at school. Coach Stevenson's recipe: relentless support, focused teaching, consistency, powerful goals, positive attitude, a focus on effort - try your hardest! get better each day! - a commitment to "doing the right thing," celebration of success, and, above all, team effort. After their miraculous double-A BC high school championship win on Saturday, quarterback Patrick Doyle said, "This is a team with no ego. We stick together. We play for each other. We play as one."

Imagine if we played as one in our schools. We'd be as unstoppable as the Barsby Bulldogs.

Photo: by Craig Letourneau