There is a Lutheran University here in Portland (Concordia) that holds a "Lutheran Elementary School Tournament" here every year on their campus. There are kids from Lutheran Elementary Schools around the Northwest including BC, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Northern California and Nevada. It's a lot of fun for the kids and parents and it's a great introduction to the college, and a good fundraiser for the college. They have competitions in basketball, swimming, spelling, geography, history, various musical instruments, bible memory, dance/drill and I don't know what all else. One of my ref friends organizes bball refs every year, and I always work it. It's close to my house, and the games are a blast. They gym is always packed and noisy, and there's always a dance/drill team at half-time, and it's just plain fun.

So yesterday here we are before the game starts, with introductions and then the prayer, which they do before every game. All the prayers are basically the same, you know, "help us not get hurt, help us have good sportsmanship, thanks for this fun weekend." But last night, the little girl added one extra request. "Help the refs give us a fair game." I have a feeling that she wasn't trying to cast aspersions, just trying to include us in the prayer. But it came out funny -- as though we were hopeless without God's intervention. Made me laugh!

Thankfully, God granted her request, since it was Bret and me that were there calling. She got a great game!

LOL. Similar thing happened at a Christian School here in Houston. "Father, please bless the players, coaches,.....and help the referees."

"He makes the blind see..."

Funny that you bring tyhat up know rainmaker as I have a BV game tonight at a Catholic highschool. Right there sitting on the end of the bench will be the schools father. Last time we worked there he was the one letting us in the lockerroom at halftime and at the end of the game. Felt pretty sure we were not going to hear to much from him.

Isn't that a personal attack just like a coach pointing out a discrepancy in fouls? Technical! :D

Z

I did some football and basketball games for a local Christian academy the past couple of years. They always start out their varsity games with a prayer (no matter the opponents), and each time the person would ask that spectators, coaches and players to be enabled to show good sportsmanship and good spirits, and to shed grace on the officials in performing their "tough" duties. Between that kind of prayer and the "iffy" rendition of the national anthem, I'm always able to start the game with a smile on my face.

Years ago I had a women's college game at St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After the National Anthem and before the starters were announced, a priest from St. Francis offered a prayer asking the Lord's help for the fans, cheerleaders, coaches, and players; he made no mention of the officials. While the starters were being announced I told him that it was a nice prayer but he did not include the officials in his plea for help. He chuckled and pointed to the crowd (about 150) and told me that they would give the officials all the help we needed.

MTD, Sr.

Back when I was coaching I'd coach against some Catholic schools and they managed to park a priest on the end of the bench. We didn't have a lot of success against those schools!