Man I love these threads. So Coach Ralph is 87-4 which equates to a 95.6% winning percentage since 2013. 3 state championships, with two being a division above, 1 state runner up in a division above and 1 state semi run. Of the 4 losses only one came against a team who didn’t play for a state championship. Columbus east #1, Snider, Columbus East #2 and Zionsville (only non state championship qualifier). Let’s also remember they knocked off a MIC power two years in a row. oh and should I forget they haven’t lost a regular season game since the barbaric, unsympathetic, should be removed by the IHSAA Coach Ralph stepped foot on campus. Needless to say the culture at New Palestine has been unbelievable over the last 7 years. What’s also great is that Coach Ralph isn’t a player so all the above is about those individuals who strap it up every Friday night to fight with their brothers next to them. They got Coach Ralph these records. What he has brought is an all in approach that you will do whatever it takes to be a New Pal Dragon for your brothers now and the future generations of Dragons to come. If you don’t want to buy into that then you don’t deserve to be a Dragon.
So how does the above tie into this ludicrous, I’m sitting at home with nothing to do thread? Key words above: culture, brothers, future generations. The culture at New Pal isn’t going to change because times are hard right now. Everyone’s lives have been flipped upside down. These boys junior, sophomore and freshmen years are done. How about the spring sport athletes who no longer have a season and seniors who graduate without being able to showcase their talents one last time. Or what about others who have lost their jobs and fallen on hard times. Should they just quit, throw in the towel and say poor me. Let’s look at companies who are stepping up to the plate to help fight this horrendous virus: Rogue Fitness, Under Armour, NFL teams, NBA teams and the list goes on. Do you think they have a great culture? You better believe they do, they wouldnt be where they are today if they didn’t. They figured out a way to adapt to the times and continue their business culture. The culture that has been established isn’t going to let them quit and throw In the towel when times get tough. The young men at NP aren’t going to let that happen either because of the culture that has been set. Will they have to adapt just like companies are? Absolutely! We should celebrate this and not criticize. We should appreciate that these young men have bought into the culture so much that they don’t want to let their brothers down. These young men view their teammates as brothers. Ones they go to battle with day in and day out. Would you quit on your brother when times get tough? Would you want your brother to quit on you when times get tough? If you answered yes to both of these questions it might be time to look in the mirror. The future generations of Dragons see this and it’s what continues the culture for the next generation. If the culture starts to slip then it becomes the new norm and soon will become unrecognizable.
in closing, yes this virus is serious. Yes you should take all precautions. Should we go back to normal now, no, but we also shouldn’t change who we are. We need to adapt and attack each day like we did before this changed our world. And for those who call Coach a keyboard warrior too, pretty sure you know who he is based on his Twitter handle so he isn’t hiding.