The Matchup:   

Juvi vs Roundball   

Location:

Hebrews 13:3

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison , and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Headline:

"One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it."

                                    Knute Rockne

Game Summary:

To play basketball for Gainesville Tornadoes in Texas is considered a privilege. Only those who show a record of good behavior can play. The only thing is no one comes to their games. Gainesville is a juvenile correction facility in Texas for felony offenders. The rewards for their behavior is a chance to go out to play basketball against other schools, mostly private Schools.

One school they play is Vanguard College Prep School. But something unusual happened. The players for Vanguard didn’t want to play them. Why? Gainesville had no fans. The players for Vanguard didn’t feel it was right for any team to play another team without fans.

So the players pulled off something no one did before. They had half of their fans to cheer for Gainesville,

sit in their section. Half of the cheerleaders cheered for them and  make a tunnel for Gainesville to run through when they entered the court.  The excitement in rooting for Gainesville got contagious. Every time Gainesville scored, all the fans cheered for them.

The Gainesville players said they never felt like they felt during that game. To have the whole gym yelling

and screaming for them--when they never had fans before--was something they said they would never forget.

We all want someone to believe in us. We all need someone to forgive our mistakes and give us another chance. Jesus said, “what you do for the least of these you do to me” (Matthew 25:40).  It also says in Matthew 23: 11-12,“The greatest among you will be your servant. He who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Gainesville players said they can’t thank Vanguard players enough for what they did.

When it was over, who won the game.

A TV station who covered the game didn’t give the score. They said, obviously they didn’t care, so why should we.

You really need to watch the featured video of this story to experience the feeling of what happened; to feel the spirit of the story.

MVP:  All players and fans of the Gainesville Tornadoes and the Vanguard College.

Recap:  

Do you think it was hard to do this? For any team to do this, to give up praise so someone else could feel what it is like to have someone cheering for them.  How does it make you feel when someone is cheering for you?

Sports today is so much about winning. Where could you be a winner, giving someone else a chance to win …  to make someone else feel important?

Practice:

Checkout the video story for more about Juvi vs Roundball

http://www.liftable.com/cbatorski/basketball-team-refuses-play-another-team-incredible-reason/