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December 17, 2012

HUNTER: My Christmas wish list

BY PERRY HUNTER sports@newsandtribune.com

SELLERSBURG — It’s that time of year where everyone makes lists of what they want for Christmas. I want this and I want that, and I want this, and ... OK, so maybe it’s only my children doing this, but I thought I would make a list.

And since I would rather give gifts than receive them, please “Santa,” I know I am being idealistic, but I really would like some of these things. My high school basketball number was 12 because I loved Steve Alford, so I reduced the list to 12 items:



• 1. I would love to see the good in any given situation. We are either headed toward a storm, in the midst of one, or headed out of one. May God help us to understand that and come to grips with it. (You can really see that in sports, as well as life.)

• 2. I would love for local community members to support their local schools in any way. But this is the sports section, so get out and support your teams. (High school athletes deserve your attendance, win or lose.)

• 3. I would love for something to be done with the Indiana High School Athletic Association transfer rules. Make it clearer for us to understand what is going on. (Some allowed, some not, some schools take transfers, some don’t allow transfers out.)

• 4. I would love for the IHSAA to help class basketball to succeed rather than hinder it. (Really, you could do so much. If not, cut it loose.)

• 5. I would love for my children to grow up healthy, happy and to do something they love with someone they love and who cares about them. (Only after playing college athletics, of course.)

• 6. I would love to grow old with my wife, Kristi, and watch our children grow up and have their own families. (Mostly, I want to witness my children’s frustration in raising children. Is there a harder job than being a parent?)

• 7. I would love for everyone’s team to play hard, compete and bring pride to their communities. (I think we can all agree that is worth the price of any set admission.)

• 8. I would love for some legislation to be passed that you can only post online about anything or anyone if you first put your real name in print for all to see. (Come on, let us know who actually thinks and says these things.)

• 9. This one goes with No. 8 — for people to realize that their printed words sting and hurt children and adults (most coaches won’t admit it), so have some kind of filter system that occurs before pushing “send.” (I try to do it all the time, however, I know I fail sometimes.)

• 10. World Peace! (If I don’t ask for this, there’s got to be some sort of bad karma, right?)

• 11. For me to appreciate whatever my child chooses to do or be when it comes to extracurriculars and allow him to live his own life, and not me through him. (My time has passed.)

• 12. For IU men’s basketball to win the national championship in 2013! (1987 has been a long time ago.)

I know that I used the pronoun “I” a lot in this list. But hopefully if my list were fulfilled, a lot of other people would benefit from it.

As for children ... you gotta love them, right? It’s a law or something. (Come on, I am joking).

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone and have a happy and safe holiday.

Perry Hunter is a Henryville High School teacher and a former coach of the school’s boys’ basketball team. You can visit his blog at coachperryhunter.blogspot.com.

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