Normally Swartz Creek and Linden are fierce rivals on the football field, but the two knelt in prayer after a JV player from Creek suffered a broken leg.

Thursday nights JV football game between Creek and Linden started like any normal game between the two rivals. That all changed when a Swartz Creek player was severely injured late in the second half. The player suffered a broken leg, and both teams were visibly shaken on the field by the injury.

Normally this is where the coaches would call the players together to try and refocus them to finish the game.  That is not what happened.

The Linden players walked over to their rivals, and asked them to all join together and take a knee and pray for their injured teammate. What happened next is a perfect example of how sports can be something so much bigger than simply competition.

With both teams kneeling, and praying in the middle of the field, they decided to end the game with five minutes left on the clock.

The fact that these young adults were able to see the bigger picture, and come together should give everyone hope for our country. I know this is not related to the current controversy in the NFL, but it shows that we are capable of putting what's most important first.  It shows that a field full of underclassmen can teach us all something about leadership and sportsmanship.

Salute to both Linden and Creek for showing the rest of us how it should be done.

I have lived and coached in Creek for the last 7 years, and the moments like this always make me proud of my community. This story reminded me of a basketball game about four years ago where the kids on the court taught us all a lesson. Check out the story below.

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