Well, here we are, at the last weekend of the winter sports season. We started the first weekend of the winter sports season under the specter of the PIAA football championships. That is all in the review mirror and what we are looking at is the final coronation of 8 classifications of basketball champions - 4 girls and 4 boys. So let's have at it.

Let's start by clearing up a few misconceptions. For PIAA championships, teams are not seeded. As an example, the third place finisher from a district is not the third seed. They are the third place team because they earned it on the court and not by an arbitrary panel or judgment. Our tournament is not seeded, it is based upon actual results from play on the court.

Secondly, by policy, first round games are in the district of the team at the top of the pairing in the brackets. They earned it by their regular season accomplishments and their success in their district tournaments. This is a policy decision based upon districts sharing the opportunity to host and the proportional representation of the schools in the brackets.

After the first round, we do our best to have midway sites based upon the facilities that want to host our games. We have numerous high school and collegiate arenas that do not want to host inter-district competition upon their campuses because the fans have been destructive to their facilities. Additionally, schools feel they have a responsibility to give their students and campus the ability to host their own activities first and they do not want to deal with the boorish behavior that our fans elicit as a sense of entitlement. Please act like a guest; not a knucklehead.

PIAA does not care who wins. We cheer for all and root for good sportsmanship and the opportunity to participate in the interscholastic athletic experience; the extension of the classroom. The lessons learned here in educational based athletics are for a lifetime and will always be remembered. How great is that? What more is needed?

We all have the same opportunity to compete in the game; those who execute, make the plays and perform, win the game; its cold; its hard; it facts. A famous old football coach once that you are what your record says you are. Simple. Straight. Factual. Accurate. Cold. Bold. Honest.

That, everyone is the beauty of athletics. You do or you don't. You made or you didn't. You were the best or you weren't. It's cold it; it's hard; but it's life. These lessons are better teachers than anything else one could encounter. So.....

With this weekend of great basketball upon us, let us take this opportunity to congratulate the champions and console the runners up; but more importantly let's make sure everyone knows it is not the final result that develops the character of one's soul, but it is the journey to get there.

Interscholastic athletics: Life lessons every day!