A string of national incidents trigger this edition of Haltom’s Huddle, which brings forth the importance of team leadership, dignity, integrity and honorability in high school sports. For the most part student athletes are hard workers and whether they know it or not are idolized by youngsters, especially with the addition of social media. True leadership lies within an individual.

Hypothetical example: A basketball team loads up on a school bus and a starter tells a non-starter that was on the bus prior,” You don’t play, you don’t sit there”! And the kid moves. Then another starter comes along and says the same thing and the kid moves only for a third starter to do the same and the kid moves for a third time.

That my friend is not leadership but being a bully. Real leadership and integrity would have been if another student stood up and told his teammates that the non-starter is not going to move.

I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to be a senior to be a leader. Where is the dignity in this example? There’s none but what there is, is a student athlete thinking that they are privileged and entitled.

Are you a good teammate or fellow student if you witness a student being harassed and bullied for having a disability or worse using racial slurs to a teammate? These things go on every day across the country. The answer to ending issues like this is having discipline, holding perpetrators responsible and stopping all the mendacity.

How uncomfortable would you be if you played a sport and you had to practice knowing that a teammate has used slurs about you or has bullied you? That, my friends, is a reality for some students.

Respect and honor is something earned and not just given. It is up to our parents, teachers, coaches and administration to teach students how to be an individual of integrity and dignity and display characteristics of great leadership. Consistency is the key whether it be practicing a sport, playing an instrument or learning history or learning manners. You treat every student the same just as an individual the same way. You don’t have separate rules for anyone.

As my grandfather always said,” I don’t care if a man has $1 or $1 million dollars, you always treat them the same.

1-2-3 break.