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More sports activities scheduled during times traditionally reserved for church

A mural with a Jesus painted on it overlooks Court 1 at Kingdom Sports Center Friday, May 21, as an Amateur Athletic Union tournament game is played in Franklin.

Staff photo by Nick Graham A mural with a Jesus painted on it overlooks Court 1 at Kingdom Sports Center Friday, May 21, as an Amateur Athletic Union tournament game is played in Franklin.

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By Rick McCrabb, Staff Writer Updated 12:32 AM Sunday, May 23, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — When junior Stefan Mangroo, a tennis player at Franklin High School and a Seventh-Day Adventist, skipped the Division II sectional semifinals because of his religious beliefs, most people applauded his convictions.

Others called him selfish for putting religion before athletics and costing the Wildcats’ doubles team and his partner, Cody Buffenbarger, a senior, a chance to advance to districts.

This isn’t the first time sports and religion have clashed.

Area pastors, athletic directors and coaches — some old enough to remember when no youth sports were held on Sundays — said they’re noticing an increase in sports activities during a time traditionally reserved for church.

Kathy Stites, assistant general manager of Kingdom Sports Center in Franklin, a faith-based sports facility, said it’s difficult avoiding Sunday morning games, especially during basketball tournaments.

There’s only so much time, so many courts, she said.

For instance, the center is hosting an AAU Girls State Qualifier this weekend, and games are scheduled for 9 a.m. today, May 23.

Above Court 1 at the facility is a large mural of fans in the stands, and in the corner, sits Jesus, watching over the action. Stites admits some people “throw that up in our faces.”

Stites said when she receives special schedule requests from coaches, she tries to work around them. But with some religions holding services on Wednesday night, Saturday night, and Sunday morning, Stites said conflicts are unavoidable.

For some parents, she said, sports come first.

“It’s funny how parents say it’s important to instill the right things in their child, but when it comes to sports, it’s a whole different situation,” she said.

Games being played on Sunday more often

Ray Cox, athletic director at Middletown Christian for nine years, said he’s seen “a trend” toward more games being played on Sunday morning.

“In our society,” he said, “it’s not set aside like it used to be.”

Then he paused and added: “We’re sending a conflicting message to kids.”

At Middletown Christian, teams must be finished with their extracurricular activities by 5 p.m., and no activities are allowed on Sunday.

Several coaches in public schools, said they, too, try to avoid Sunday activities. Brian Bales, Franklin High School boys basketball coach, said his teams have played a few times on Sunday due to “special circumstances.” For instance, if his team played Friday or Saturday, then had a tournament game Monday.

He called Sundays “a family day.”

Jason Krause, Middletown High football coach, said the Middies watch game films on Sunday only if they play a Saturday night game. Sundays, he said, are “family time” and family “is the most important thing.”

Jeff Smith, Madison High boys basketball coach and former athletic director who also coached at Middletown Christian, called playing on Sunday morning “disrespectful.”

But with the push toward AAU sports, and how important they are in the recruiting world, he understands the “difficult decisions” parents and players make.

He doesn’t see an end.

“Once that Genie is out of the bottle, she’s not going back,” he said. “That time is over.”

Still, because we live in what Smith calls the “Bible belt,” religion remains a part of the culture. Many high school teams have chaplains, and Smith said his team says the Lord’s prayer before every game.

Sacrificing for one’s beliefs

Mangroo’s sacrifice has stirred much debate locally, but isn’t the first example of religion impacting a sporting event. In college and professional sports, religious beliefs and athletics have collided on numerous occasions.

For instance, in 2004, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green chose to skip crucial games in the closing month of a heated division race with San Francisco. Green was heavily criticized by fans who believed his salary should direct his priority, and praised by the Jewish community for choosing to observe Yom Kippur instead.

In 1995, BYU lineman Eli Herring told National Football League teams he wouldn’t play on Sundays. The Oakland Raiders drafted him anyway in the sixth round, and Herring refused to sign.

Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax refused to start in Game 1 of the World Series in 1965, which was played on Yom Kippur. The Minnesota Twins beat the Dodgers 8-2.

In 1924, devout Christian Eric Liddell of Scotland skipped the Olympic 100 meters, his best event, because the quarterfinal was contested on a Sunday. He won the 400 meters instead and was immortalized on celluloid 57 years later in Chariots of Fire.

Missing faces in local congregations

Every Sunday morning, when the Rev. Greg Tyus, pastor at United Missionary Baptist, looks at his congregation, he sees some missing faces.

Some of the athletes.

“There’s not much you can do about it,” Tyus said. “You have to support the parents because they’re involved in their kids’ lives.”

But Tyus said he isn’t “thrilled about it” when his church members choose goals over God.

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