Creating opportunities part of fairness

My first real lessons of fairness came on the hardwood. My opportunity to play basketball from high school through college taught me to respect the rules of the game, to demonstrate good sportsmanship and humility regardless of the score and to treat teammates and opponents with equal respect. Though every leader on the court is competitive, I was fortunate to play for coaches like Wendy Schuller, who led with integrity and stressed fair play and conduct over a win-loss record.

But members of our team did not have the same talents, nor did they have the same roles. My job at 6-foot was to occupy space in the key, and all the pining in the world was not going to earn me the position of point guard. We were never promised the same amount of playing time, and we were never guaranteed a winning record.

Minutes in games were typically earned during quiet hours of shooting after practice, and sometimes we had to accept a position at the end of the bench. Fairness did not necessarily mean we were treated the same; it meant each player was used according to her ability, skill, experience and effort.

What we did share, however, was the same opportunity to pursue our passion. This small-town girl joined with players from Portland and Chicago to work toward a shared vision. We represented every demographic, but wore the same uniform. We had an equal chance, through hard work and commitment, to contribute to a team.

In addition to building character through blood, sweat and injuries, each woman on our squad had the opportunity to pursue her academic goals and walk away with a college degree. The opportunity to play basketball gave each of us the chance to change the trajectory of our lives.

As an educator, I want to create similar opportunities for young people. I believe our work in public education is to ensure that every student has the ability to pursue his or her passion, to contribute to our community in meaningful ways and to develop the skills necessary to thrive. These opportunities may evolve through academics, music, sports, FFA, ROTC or other interests, but our primary goals are to open doors for students and eliminate barriers and biases that may impede their success.

I am fortunate to partner with committed teachers, coaches, counselors and administrators who work tirelessly to do just that. They are constantly challenging inequities that manifest from an unfair world in an effort to level the playing field for kids. They see the value of every individual and draw out the unique potential that exists.

I see strong advocates in our school lift others to a higher level, often at their own expense. It does not mean the road will be easy for students, and it certainly does not eliminate their need to take responsibility and work hard. But our unified commitment to fairness and equity will allow our students to put on a uniform and join their own team on the court, in the field or on the job site.

Molly Cooke is originally from Metaline Falls, Wash. She attended Eastern Washington University on a basketball scholarship before transitioning to the world of education.  Over the last 15 years, Cooke has taught and coached in many communities, including Sprague, Sacramento, Cambodia and Medical Lake. She is currently one of the school counselors at Medical Lake Middle School.

Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE) is a grassroots Spokane Valley initiative to promote the importance of good character through partnerships with schools, businesses, public agencies, residents, faith based organizations and community service groups. Working from this common list, partners promote and integrate each monthly trait into the regular activities of the organization. Schools participating in PACE include Cheney, Davenport and Medical Lake.