Quitting is not an option

Cade Wellman, fifth place

“Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” - Calvin Coolidge This hockey season was tougher than other seasons, but it wasn’t just the level of the competition. The other teams did not have good sportsmanship. I often found myself getting called racial slurs. This made me feel mad and frustrated because it was very inappropriate. Even though I was getting called racial slurs, that did not hold me back. Other teams would call me the N word or make monkey noises at me or call me a monkey; yet, I never quit or stopped.

This made me feel mad because even when the other teams were winning they still would be saying racial slurs. That pushed me to try harder to show them it doesn’t matter what race you are. This year I was the top scorer on the team. Because I was trying hard to get lots of goals and assists.

Another thing is by the end of the season my whole team was standing up for me. I’m very proud of my team for standing up for me. It didn’t matter if it happened anywhere on the ice by the goal or by the bench. Not only my teammates stood up for me, the coaches did too. One time they stopped the game because the other team was calling me racial slurs. It made me feel good and proud because they were taking action. There was a specific member on the team that went above and beyond and told the other team to shut up.

I learned from this experience that I should not let others hold me down or affect how good of a quality I do things. I won’t give up when others are trying to hold me down. I should use that emotion to push harder.

I will now live my life not letting others hold me down. I will not focus or listen to others’ negative comments and let them affect the way I do things.

The Star News and Billie Hartwig, Medford Kiwanis Club.