Another viewpoint: Show of sportsmanship lesson for parents

Jerrick Maldonado of Clovis won the state 5A cross country championship earlier this month, holding off a late charge by Triston Charles of Piedra Vista at the finish line.

At least that’s according to the computer chips placed in the shoes of the runners and fed into a high-tech timing system.

But the computer was wrong, according to online video of the race. Maldonado didn’t take first. Charles did.

The chips have Maldonado finishing in 16 minutes, 7.65 seconds, with Charles six-tenths of a second behind. Dehydrated, Maldonado collapsed after crossing the finish line and was getting medical attention when one of his teammates subbed for him atop the podium for the awards presentation.

Given what happened afterward, both are winners.

First, Charles was far from bitter he learned he purportedly came in second. Charles and others around the finish line thought Charles had won, but he recalled it was really close and when Maldonado was announced as winner “I didn’t really worry about it.”

Maldonado didn’t watch the video until after his coach, Mark Bussen, called the next day. When he did, Maldonado told the coach, “I’m not comfortable. I think Triston beat me. I think I should have the second-place medal.”

NMAA doesn’t use video replay at state cross country. And because no protest was lodged within 10 minutes the NMAA was prepared, or perhaps even required, to name Maldonado as state champ.

Until he told NMAA officials he was giving up the first-place medal. Charles will be presented with it in a ceremony at Piedra Vista next month.

High school sports has had more than its share of ugly sportsmanship incidents recently — more often bad behavior by adults than student athletes. Some high school basketball and football games had to be played with no public attendance allowed. The NMAA recently said it had a shortage of soccer referees because of abusive adult fan behavior. That backdrop makes this story even more inspiring.

Piedra Vista coach Sampson Sage had nothing but praise for Maldonado.

“To act with integrity, to be able to do that ... the maturity. That’s great,” he said.

While Charles has the first-place medal that both young men trained so hard for, the NMAA has awarded Maldonado one of its eight “Compete With Class” sportsmanship awards, which carries a $1,000 scholarship.

“It really is an act of sportsmanship beyond measure,” said NMAA Executive Director Sally Marquez.

Indeed.

In this case, we have two winners who rowdy parents would do well to emulate: Triston Charles and Jerrick Maldonado.

— Albuquerque Journal