By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and  do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff  or publishers)

The Somerville High School boys soccer team did much more this season than win the Division 1 North championship and take the state championship game to its last possible moment. They inspired our entire city. You only had to take a look around the stadium during the state championship game and see thousands of Highlander fans, cheering on the team, to see the effect the team had not only on soccer fans but the school community and our whole city. The turnout spoke to more than the team’s success this season. It spoke to how this team, burdened before the season started by a terrible incident at camp, displayed leadership off the field, in the school and throughout the school community and stood up together, refusing to let the alleged actions of a few define them or the community.

They embraced the victims of the alleged attack at camp with compassion. In speaking with their classmates and teammates, they displayed maturity, care and leadership, and avoided the whispering that’s common for high school students, instead presenting themselves as a resilient, unified team. From the 15 seniors on the team to underclassmen players, they rallied together. This incredibly diverse team, with kids of differing backgrounds from the world over, embodied the best of Somerville. They showed how a diverse group of people can form a family, can look out for one another and, working together, can achieve greatness.

High school sports are about more than winning. They teach our kids about sportsmanship, camaraderie and hard work. The ultimate lesson is that what matters most is how you play the game. We want to instill those values in our kids. It’s why we don’t charge fees for our athletic teams and why we expanded middle school intramural programs for 7th and 8th graders, keeping those programs open to every student without a try-out requirement. Students involved in athletics—like those involved in the arts—have improved academic performance, higher standardized test scores, participate in more community service and have lower dropout rates.

It’s partly because of the lessons they learn from being part of a team. They have to work with fellow students who may come from different backgrounds and have different personalities. They have to learn to balance the responsibilities of classwork, family life and their athletic endeavors. Our student-athletes are taught about discipline, getting to both school and the practice field on time, and carrying that discipline with them onto the playing field. Our student-athletes are taught that the first value is to carry themselves in a way that reflects well upon themselves, their families and their community. Then they must achieve in the classroom. Only after those accomplishments do their athletic endeavors come into focus.

The Highlanders soccer team put those values on display this entire season, under difficult circumstances. They suddenly found the spotlight on them for reasons the vast majority of them had nothing to do with. They stood tall in that spotlight, and demonstrated how what’s most important is how you play the game and how you carry yourself as a member and representative of the community. Like this year’s Red Sox, they represent countries from around the world, and they formed a bond with one another and the community. They played the game and conducted themselves all season with the character and dignity that reflects the best of Somerville’s identity. We have high standards for our students’ conduct, and these student-athletes not only met that high standard, they exceeded it. The courageous student-athletes allegedly victimized only waited two days to speak up, when sometimes student victims wait months, or even years or decades to speak up. And the rest of the team embraced them and carried them. They carried each other.

We need to thank these young men for showing us how to be leaders, how to show compassion, and how to remain resilient when faced with adversity. We also need to thank the coaches, from head coach George Scarpelli to his whole staff, for teaching their student-athletes the life lessons that they will keep with them the rest of their lives. This team embodies what’s best about Somerville, and we are proud to call them ours.