South Tama sports are not in a great place right now. Multiple teams have long losing streaks. In the past decade or so the school has bounced from the WaMaC to the Little Hawkeye Conference to the NICL and back to the WaMaC.
In the face of this, Allison Graham, the sports editor of the Tama-Toledo newspapers, has some things to say that are good things to hear not just for South Tama, but for everyone connected to rural school districts. There’s a lot of wisdom about community cohesion in her piece — her first column, picking up from what her dad did before her.
WE HAVE TO SHOW UP. When times are tough (and they are tough) we have to be there. Be present. Even if your kid says I don’t want you to come. That’s a mistake. I know I’m not a parent so I don’t know what it’s like, but I remember being a student here at South Tama and can tell you first hand how much of a difference it makes to have someone you love waiting for you in the hallway outside of a gym or auditorium to celebrate an accomplishment or help pick up the pieces after a defeat. …
To those community members who may no longer be tied to South Tama activities with a young family member still in school; I would also encourage you to consider showing up and showing out for our students in person as we all do on paper in the taxes we pay each month. In rural communities like ours, the school system is a vital organ in the body of the community.