To the Editor,
As another school year quickly approaches, I cannot stress the importance of watching out for the children as they walk to school, ride the bus or being dropped off. Of course with the beginning of each year also brings athletics into the picture. Football, soccer, softball, cross country, volleyball, cheerleading and band are to name a few. Poplar Bluff has always been a community which supports these activities and it is greatly appreciated. There are many behind the scene people who deserve a tremendous amount of credit beginning with Athletic Director, Kent Keith. I honestly do not know if people really understand what type of a position the Athletic Director holds. This individual has to be there whenever needed for each sport to be a mediator and to put out potential fires before it becomes a runaway blaze. Coach Keith is one who has to make the tough calls on many items when it comes to dealing with each and every sport. Quite a few of these calls are not favorable ones to the coaching staffs but are ones needing to be made to benefit not just one athletic sport but all as equally as possible. There are some who feel one sport deserves more than the other because it possibly brings in more money to the high school program but if you look at it in the eyes of the student athlete, each and every sport is just as important to them as the other is. Take a successful football program and a successful girls volleyball program. Some may say, well the football teams have more spectators and bring in more financially to the school than the other. However, athletes in both sports are looking at the same common goal, can I be good enough and intelligent enough to gain a college scholarship and education? People look at these young student athletes in the wrong light in a lot of the cases and this is where someone as Coach Keith steps in and ensures equality for not just one sport but for all sports involved. There is no doubt that football is his crème de la crème when it comes to Coach Keith as this is his background, but I can tell you from personal observance he does not discriminate when it comes to enthusiasm for all sports involving Poplar Bluff athletics. I want you to think about what he has to endure during the entire year. When I say entire, I mean entire as in 12 months. During the summertime months he is still at it trying to make Poplar Bluff the most successful program it can be. There is scheduling for all sports, setting up officials for each game, getting coaches and teams prepared to begin their grueling season, ensuring equipment is accounted for, making sure the playing surfaces (Football Field, Softball Field, gymnasium floor, etc...) are ready for the season schedule, setting up transportation for each game and so on and so on plus having to listen to people gripe and complain about why someone's child is not playing and why the concession stand does not have this or that, basically listening to all the complaints and very rarely a statement such as, "Hey, Good job coach", or "Thanks coach Keith for everything you do." I love Poplar Bluff athletics which includes Three Rivers College so I am asking the next time you see Coach Keith or Coach Bess, the AD at Three Rivers, tell them thank you for the job they are doing. As the Public Address announcer for Mules Athletics I can tell you I have witnessed Coach Keith watching his phone for other Mules events updates while attending another event so he can pass along the information to me to announce to all Mules fans. He has left say a baseball game to watch a soccer game or tennis match. He has traveled long distances to watch a golf match or a cross country event. Folks, when possible, Coach Keith attends as many athletic events as possible. Kudos to him for that.In closing, I just want to say GOOD LUCK to ALL of the MULES athletic programs throughout the 2017-2018 school year and most of all I want to thank Coach Kent Keith for his hard work and dedication for working towards the goal of not only having a positive impact on the field but a positive impact off the field as well when it comes to ensuring each athlete is properly educated which is the main goal in life.God Bless You All...
Roger BurtonPoplar Bluff