Bernie Fratto

Speaking
of
Sports 

by
Bernie 
Fratto

The Family Unit

12/1/03
Back in July 1991 I worked briefly with Keith Olbermann of MSNBC, as we collaborated on a project involving the 12^th Annual National Sports Collectors Convention. At 6’4” I asked him about his background as an athlete. “I hit .234 in Little League and I hung up my cleats” he grimaced. “In fact my parents told me, Keith it’s not about winning or losing, the most important thing is that nobody knows that you’re our son!” he joked. 

It’s hard to actually know who all the parents are in Novi, and which kids are actually yours, but what I do know is that the Novi Wildcats would not have accomplished what they did this football season without the tremendous loving support of a great group of parents. 

I always noticed the looks on the faces of the moms and dads when the team would parade by the tailgate tent before home games. The pride and happiness was always evident before, during and after every contest, in the stands, at the post-game celebrations, and during parent meetings.  

Now, I’m not taking the role of a frontrunner here, believe me. Someone on the outside looking in might simply say it was easy to be happy, they were winning. But what came first the chicken or the egg? Was this a dedicated, loving happy group because they won, or vice-versa? I think we know the answer. 

Youth perhaps, is wasted on the young but I bet I know what every kid on that football team would say if they wrote a letter to their parents: 

Dear Mom and Dad: Thanks for all your support this season. Thanks for the encouragement, the time you sacrificed, the meals you cooked, and the positive energy. Thanks for being proud of us, thanks for providing transportation, and thanks for always being there. Thanks for helping us to keep things in perspective, and thanks for cheering us on. Thanks for believing in us, thanks for coming to all the games, and thanks for being our source of strength when we needed it most. And finally, thanks for guiding us through our 13-week journey, it was an amazing ride. 

Happy Thanksgiving… Turkey Day is a time for giving thanks to everyone… To the boys for fighting like Wildcats, and to their parents for soaring like eagles.

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Bernie Fratto's column appears right here each week. Bernie is a member of the Minor League Baseball Alumni Association and in his former life, he spent time in the Cincinnati Reds Farm System. He is an accomplished Freelance writer, and sought after keynote speaker, appearing often at Award Ceremonies, Athletic Banquets, and Company functions. He is passionate about sports and the life-lessons they teach. "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings," Fratto said..."And these athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also the voice of Novi Wildcat Hockey and host of Wildcat Face-off, a local radio program dedicated to youth sports in Novi.